Telangana State pitches for corona testing facility at IPM

Hyderabad: Telangana government has appealed to the Centre to provide one more coronavirus testing lab facility to the State on Friday.

Health Minister Eatala Rajender has told the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan that IPM, Narayanaguda can be made the second testing lab in Telangana in a video conference meeting chaired by the latter with senior health officials of all States. Eatala also took part in the meeting on Friday.

The Health Minister said that Centre responded positively to the request and would consider it in the second phase as now focus was on setting up at least one lab in various States.

Besides request for additional laboratory facility to conduct sample tests, Eatala also urged his counterpart at the Centre to supply N-95 safety masks to the State at the earliest.

It may be mentioned here that Telangana sought 50,000 masks to be sent from Delhi in view of shortage in the State.

The request for additional lab facility comes in the wake of a huge rush of suspected cases and contacts after the detection of the first positive case in the State on Monday.

Gandhi lab is getting 30 to 40 samples every day and an additional facility would relieve some burden of it so that results could be declared in 6 to 8 hours.

Meanwhile, Union Minister has lauded the steps taken by the Telangana government after detection of the first positive case.

He felt the State was fully geared up with contingency plans and called upon other States to follow the planning done in Telangana.

Special Chief Secretary (Health) Santhi Kumari and Health Commissioner Yogita Rana were also present.