NDMC extends Covid-19 testing to government offices and courts

NEW DELHI: New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has initiated a drive early this week to send mobile teams to the ministries, the Supreme Court, Delhi high court and other important government offices.

Health teams will cover all government complexes where public footfall is high so that timely detection can help in containing Covid-19 infections. The drive has started on the direction of the New Delhi district disaster management office, said an official.

Health teams have so far arranged for antigen testing at the offices of the ministries of home affairs, textile, labour and employment, power, and water resources, and at Palika Bhawan in RK Puram, Lok Nayak Bhawan, the Supreme Court and Delhi high court. “If any result turns out to be suspicious, health teams conduct RT-PCR testing,” said an official.

Mobile teams visit these places daily or on alternate days based on requirement. Till Friday, 643 tests have been conducted and 13 have been found positive.

“To help health teams, teachers, lab technicians and staff from other departments are performing various duties such as supervising camps and on-the-ground coordination,” said an NDMC official. “We conduct tests of staff, lawyers, senior officials and others who want to use the facility.”

The civic agency is also receiving requests from many other bodies such as Press Club of India to arrange for such camps, he added.

NDMC has earlier started both antigen and RT-PCR testing in containment areas and buffer zones. Following encouraging response at its first antigen centre in Sarojini Nagar, it has opened up three more centres at Laxmi Bai Nagar, Malcha Marg and Moti Bagh. “Two of these are in our dispensaries and the one at Malcha Marg is a health centre. People living in nearby government quarters can get tested in these areas,” said the official.