Testing enough? With a billion plus populace, failing to ramp up testing will make Covid-19 unmanageable soon

Image result for Testing enough? With a billion plus populace, failing to ramp up testing will make Covid-19 unmanageable soon
Indian Council of Medical Research’s warning that India has 30 days to halt the onset of Stage-III or community transmission of the novel coronavirus must kick off wider testing. ICMR has said that disease transmission is now limited to those with travel history to affected countries and those in contact with them. This is not as reassuring as it sounds. For every traveller reaching India and subsequently seeking medical help, there are too many loose ends in their whereabouts for public health authorities to tie up. Moreover, screening efforts at airports miss out many asymptomatic travellers.
This is where wider testing and greater access to testing facilities can nip community transmission in the bud. The 60-odd labs notified by ICMR for testing swabs – and a similar number of sample collection centres – can conduct nearly 5,000 tests daily. But these get just 60-70 samples per day according to ICMR officials. Large, populous states like UP, Bihar and Rajasthan having just 2-3 sample collection centres is woefully inadequate. Government claims it has 1 lakh test kits and made orders for 2 lakh more. However, until March 13 India had performed just 6,500 tests on 5,900 individuals, mostly in 2-3 states, much too few for a 1.4 billion population. Equally important is that test results must return quickly in a matter of minutes or a few hours, not 1-2 days as presently experienced in many places.
South Korea’s success in shrinking fresh cases without resorting to lockdowns was achieved by conducting a whopping 10,000 tests a day. China’s makeshift fever clinics, though initially panned for allowing potential carriers to congregate, prevented overcrowding inside hospitals and offered quick testing facilities. Quick turnaround times ensured patients couldn’t slip away, a problem India faces presently.
News reports and social media accounts in recent days raise doubts about preparedness. Hospitals without adequate doctors and protective gear have been reported in and around the national capital itself. Functioning of state helplines and their capability to address heavy patient load needs scrutiny. Doctors must be able to send more patients for testing and frequently get themselves tested. Roping in the private sector – for setting up fever clinics, manufacturing test kits and handling diagnostic logistics – will improve access. With nearly a million registered doctors and over two million registered nurses and ASHA workers, execution of plans must proceed on a war footing. India shouldn’t become the next big country to be caught napping.
This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.

Popular posts from this blog

PG Doctors of India must work not more than 48 Hr/week: SC

Image
As per the directives of the Honourable Supreme Court in its judgment dated,25.9.87, in writ petition No. 348-352 of 1985, all the State Governments, Medical Institutions and Universities are required to amend their rules and regulations to introduce a uniform residency scheme by 1993 “A uniform practice has to be evolved so that the discipline would be introduced. We accordingly allow the present arrangement to continue for a period of five yearsI.e. upto 1992 inclusive. For admission beginning from 1993 there would be only onepattern. All Universities and institutions shall take timely steps to bring about such amendments as may be necessary to bring statutes, regulations, and rules obtaining in their respective institutions in accord with this direction before the end of 1991 so that there may be no scope for raising of any dispute in regard to the matter.The uniform pattern has to be implemented for 1993. It is proper that one uniform system is brought into vogue throughout
Read more

Why DNB exam tougher than MS/MD exam?

Image
Guest article by Dr Kalyan R Kone   There were 6 people (accompanied by their relatives) sitting in the small waiting room outside the ward waiting for their call inside. They looked battered, tense and had such a depressed look in their eyes that even Shylock would have sympathized with them. They had cleared their DNB (Diplomate of National Board) theory exam and were making last minute preparations for their practical exam. If I were not told that they were all Doctors, I would have thought that they were all waiting for their turn to see a psychiatrist. Dr Kalyan R Kone Five out of six of those waiting doctors were appearing for the second or third time. In spite of that, they didn’t know what would be in store for them except one thing — only one or two would pass out of the six candidates. I thought for a moment that it was a good ploy by the NBE (National Board of Examination) to generate funds – after all, where would these poor guys go except appe
Read more