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Random community testing halted

22 Mar 2022

 
  • Govt. expenditure on testing should be used ‘rationally’: Health Ministry 
  • Public Health DDG notes testing ‘ineffective’ at present as the infected are ‘asymptomatic’ and require no hospitalisation 
  • 4-5 K random tests being conducted daily on selected persons arriving at hospitals 
  • States that those clamouring for increased testing are seeking financial benefits 
  BY Buddhika Samaraweera Claiming that certain parties are requesting an increase in the number of random polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and rapid antigen tests (RATs) being conducted in the community to detect the Covid-19 infected, the Health Ministry informed that such tests are not being conducted at present as the Government’s spending on Covid-19 tests should be used in a rational manner. Speaking to The Morning, Health Ministry’s Communications Director, Public Health Services Deputy Director General (DDG), and Disaster Preparedness and Response Division Head Dr. Hemantha Herath said that although the number of random PCR tests and RATs conducted in the community was high in the past few months, the conduct of such is not very effective in the current situation. “At present, carrying out random tests in the society is not very effective because most Covid-19 infected people have no symptoms. Therefore, even if a person is diagnosed as being infected, following a test, there is no need to hospitalise them. What is the benefit of testing in such a situation?” he queried. He said that in the past, more than 15,000 PCR tests and RATs were carried out daily across the country, adding that the Government had to spend a lot of money for that. “We should use the cost of these tests rationally. Therefore, the people on the road are not called in for random tests these days. Instead, random tests are conducted on selected people who come to hospitals. Accordingly, there are between 4,000-5,000 tests conducted per day in hospitals across the country. Through them, it is possible to gain an understanding of the Covid-19 situation,” explained Dr. Herath. He added that all these decisions were made in accordance with the guidelines prepared by health experts regarding the diagnosis of the Covid-19 infected, adding that various parties were requesting an increase in the number of random tests as it would bring them some financial benefits. “In some countries, hospitals do not even conduct random tests because they do not make a significant contribution to controlling the pandemic. If such random tests can solve this problem, then everyone can be tested at once and then the issue will be solved, but that is not the case,” he noted. The College of Medical Laboratory Science (CMLS) recently alleged that the Ministry has completely abandoned the process of controlling the Covid-19 pandemic, including conducting random PCR tests and RATs to identify the Covid-19-infected. Speaking to The Morning on Monday (21), CMLS President Ravi Kumudesh said that although a large number of random PCR tests and RATs were carried out daily, covering all the areas, over the past few months, presently, they are not being done. Due to that, he claimed, the pandemic control programme has completely collapsed. “Let alone random tests, many hospitals do not currently have the facilities to test even a person with Covid-19 symptoms. At the moment, tests are being performed only on people who are being treated in hospitals and whom the doctors suspect as having the Covid-19 infection. It is true that the seriousness of Covid-19 has now reduced to a certain extent, but the testing should be continued.” He also alleged that the Ministry was not properly reporting data on Covid-19 patients and deaths. Claiming that the relevant data had not been reported properly in the past, Kumudesh alleged that the Ministry has now officially started not doing it properly.


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