CHENNAI: With the State testing around 60,000 samples per day, which is more than its laboratories’ capacity, the health department is sending excess samples to private testing facilities to avoid backlog.
“On an average, we are getting 52,000 to 60,000 samples a day, depending on the caseload.

So, to get the results early and to avoid backlog we are sending samples to private labs and getting the cost of the tests covered under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS). That way, it’s free for patients,” said a health official.

The government had earlier made Covid tests covered under the CMCHIS. Initially, the cost of the test in private labs was fixed at Rs 2,500, and for home collection, Rs 3,000. Now, it has been reduced to `1,500. Samples are collected at fever camps, medical mobile units, medical colleges, government hospitals, primary health centres, and private hospitals.

As per the health department data on Tuesday, there are 60 government and 65 private labs in the State currently testing for Covid. Government labs have the capacity to test only around 50,000 per day, and in private labs around 40,000 can be tested, said an official.

Results backlog
There are so many reasons for the backlog, say officials. The capacity varies depending on the availability of testing resources like RNA extraction reagents, machines, manpower, among other things. There was a backlog in Chennai and other districts like Tiruvallur, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, and Tirunelveli, said another official, attributing this to the increase in testing.

“For example, Tiruvallur has the capacity to test only around 300 samples per day. But now, the sample size has been increased to 5,000 per day,” he said. Officials say, the decision to divert samples has resulted in a reduced waiting period, with an upper limit of 48 hours.

Meanwhile, Dr TS Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health claimed, the results had never exceeded beyond 24 hours. “We are monitoring in such a way that whenever there are samples loaded and if we expect them to cross 24 hours, we prevent further loading into that particular lab.” About sending samples to private labs, Selvavinayagam said, “First choice will be government labs. It will be sent to private labs, only if needed.”

How does the scheme work?
Explaining the procedure, another official said, for instance, government doctors in primary health centres, can refer the patient to private labs if they are eligible for the scheme. Another way is that staff at government labs choose samples among the accumulated ones there, and send them to private labs. Then, the patient insurance details will be passed on to these private labs