Hyderabad: Don't put only govt doctors prescription as a condition for Covid test

Hyderabad: The Union Health Ministry has written to all States to augment coronavirus testing as "test-track-treat" is the key strategy for early detection and containment of the pandemic. This is the only way to detect the infection early and prevent its spread. Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan has written to all States and Union territories in this regard. She pointed out that capacity utilisation of testing labs, particularly the ones in the private sector is grossly sub-optimal. Steps should be taken to ensure full capacity utilisation of all Covid testing laboratories, it was told.

Also, the ministry wanted the states to remove government doctor prescription for making an individual undergo the Covid test. At this juncture, it is absolutely necessary to facilitate testing at the earliest by enabling all qualified medical practitioners including private practitioners to prescribe Covid test to any individual fulfilling the criteria for testing as per ICMR guidelines.

ICMR strongly recommends that laboratories should be free to test any individual in accordance with the rules and state authorities must not restrict an individual from getting tested, it was stressed.