Hyderabad: Congress demands Covid tests for all vulnerable groups

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy demanded that the State government conduct rapid and random tests for all vulnerable groups, especially those more than 60 years of age.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday, Narayana Reddy said that the Telangana Government was not following the norms set by World Health Organisation (WHO) of "Trace, Test and Treat" to combat the coronavirus in the State.

Quoting figures furnished by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao in his press conference held on Sunday, he said that so far only 14,962 samples have been tested across the State. "KCR, while addressing a press conference on March 27, had stated that 25,937 have been quarantined in Telangana and they would be completing the 14-day quarantine period by April 7.

In Sunday's press conference, he informed that 1,818 persons are still quarantined. Therefore, of nearly 27,755 suspects, only 14,962 samples (or 53 per cent) have been tested which is too low," he said.

Narayana Reddy asked as to why the State Government did not conduct Covid-19 tests even on all identified suspects. "As per CM's statement, nine government testing facilities have a capacity of 1560 per day. Why the capacity was not fully utilised? We're having lockdown since March 22. On an average, only 432 samples were tested per day for the last 28 days. We could've tested 100 per cent of suspects in just 17 days if we would've utilised all government labs," he said.

Further, the Congress leader strongly condemned the KCR government for not allowing nine private laboratories like Apollo Hospitals, Vijaya Diagnostics, etc., to conduct Covid-19 tests although they have been permitted by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). He said that the State Government did not frame the local guidelines to allow private labs to conduct Covid-19 tests.

He said that the Supreme Court, in its recent order, clearly stated that the Covid-19 tests should be conduct free of cost and State Government should bear the entire cost. "Is KCR afraid of additional financial burden if more tests are conducted?" he asked.