Private labs add teeth to Delhi’s corona testing capabilities

NEW DELHI: If you need to get a test done for Covid-19 in Delhi, you can either go to a private laboratory, hospital or a government testing facility, where tests will be done for free, as per the order of the Supreme Court.

Delhi has eight private labs and seven government facilities approved for Covid-19 testing. Together, they have conducted 9,332 tests till date, in which 588 (6%) proved positive and 7,897 (85%) negative. The results of the remaining are awaited.The number of tests being conducted is low because many of these labs received approval for testing only recently. Also, the criteria fixed by the government for testing for Covid-19 were initially restricted to people who had travelled abroad or had known contact with an infected individual. Now, anyone showing symptoms such as fever, dry cough and breathing difficulty can get tested if a qualified physician deems it necessary.

Prominent chain Lal Path Labs has sample collection centres across Delhi, but has received approval for testing at its Rohini facility. A company official said, “A prescription signed by the doctor and a government photo ID (Aadhaar/voter card/driving licence/passport) to support residential address and contact number of the suspect patient are needed.” Form 44 describing the symptoms of the patient at the time of sample collection has to be filled by the patient or the physician. “Reports are made available within 48 hours,” the official added.

Dr Dang’s Lab offers home collection of samples as well as a drive-through facility. It’s an innovative setup in west Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh ensuring minimum exposure to infection of both the patient and the medical personnel, claimed Arjun Dang, CEO, Dr Dang’s Lab. After booking an appointment for a drive-through test and uploading necessary documents, the car, whose number and colour are noted by the lab, drives into white box. “Our medical officer asks the person to tilt the head to collect two swabs from the nose and throat. The person can then leave for home and test reports will be sent via e-mail,” Dang.

At Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, a standalone facility outside the emergency wing has been created for collection of test samples by trained staff.

For testing in public hospitals, the government has created a helpline number which directs the caller to a dispensary where the physician assesses the need for a test. Thereafter, the person visits one of the six sample collection centres at Ram Manohar Lohia, Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty, Lok Nayak, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Janakpuri Super Specialty hospitals.

Samples are sent from here to the approved labs in AIIMS, Lady Hardinge Medical College, National Centre for Disease Control, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, Maulana Azad Medical College and at Safdarjang Hospital.