People in Anantapur district have been running from pillar to post for COVID-19 tests for the past four days as the IMASQ buses, which serve as the mobile testing facilities, are not reaching the scheduled locations.
It is learnt that the Vera Health Services, a private company that manages the IMASQ buses, has not paid salaries to its staff for which they have been abstaining from duties.
The Hindu tried to find out how the testing was going on at the SSBN College Grounds, Arts College Grounds and Sri Chaitanya College Grounds, Kakkalapalli on the NH-44 on Sunday.
A 60-year-old woman from Kurugunta, recently consulted a private doctor with complaints of cough and she was advised to get the COVID-19 test done.
“I hired an autorickshaw to reach the scheduled location for testing. I am waiting for the mobile testing vehicle,” she said.
The ANM and ASHA worker on duty told The Hindu that the van had not come since the past three days and they had no idea when it would come.
Similarly, many people including children were found waiting for the testing vehicles.
However, many such vehicles were seen parked near the entrance gate of the Government Medical College at Anantapur before noon and no staff was yet to report to duty.
When contacted, Assistant Collector G. Surya Sai Praveen Chand said that Collector Gandham Chhandrudu had already spoken to the CEO of Vera Health Services and the issue was being resolved.
Target set for testing
“We have set a target of conducting 8,000 tests on Monday with new True NAT machine installed at Kalyandurg. Around 3,000 tests are being done on RTPCR, 1,000 on TrueNAT, and the remaining Rapid Antigen tests,” Mr. Praveen said.
The asymptomatic patients, who were being tested positive by rapid antigen kits, have been advised home isolation with the medication prescribed by the doctor posted at the testing centres. The rapid antigen kits confirm the results within 15 minutes.
At present, 160 test centres are functioning in the district, apart from simultaneously testing being conducted at the Anantapur GGH, 88 PHCs, and CHCs.
Meanwhile, BJP district general secretary Duddakunta Venkateswara Rao has objected to more testing by rapid antigen kits.
‘Rapid tests inconclusive’
“The tests conducted by the rapid antigen kits are not conclusive. The government is using more such kits to show higher number tests. The sharp spike in death tells it all about the poor strategy of government, he said.
“Same person is being tested twice or thrice, adding to the count,” he alleged.
The BJP leader also opposed the curfew being imposed from 6 a.m. on every Sunday to 6 a.m. Monday, without prior information. It is causing harship to people, he said.