Telangana State’s position was seventh from the bottom in terms of testing for COVID-19 and there was an abject need to increase the testing in the twin cities and also in the districts, said Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy on Sunday.

“We have given total freedom to the States to take whatever measures are necessary to contain the spread of the coronavirus. This includes increasing the containment zones, localised lockdowns and other measures as well as testing strategies. I request the government to ramp up testing. A ‘rich and developed’ State like Telangana should take the lead,” he said.

The Minister was addressing the media after launching the Rotary Blood Plasma Bank at Ameerpet and also stated that he was in regular touch with Health Minister E. Rajendra and other officials on the COVID-19 management.

“The Minister also assured us that testing will be increased. We had done a record 10.25 lakh testing throughout the country yesterday. We had already supplied 14 lakh N95 masks, 2.45 lakh PPE kits, 1,400 ventilators, 2.2 lakh TR-PCR kits, 26,000 VTM kits and permitted 17 Government and 32 private labs to test here,” he explained.

Mr. Reddy also mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that if five States, including Telangana, increased the testing numbers, the virus spread could be controlled.

“There is no finality about the vaccine or when it is coming, so we have no other option but to protect ourselves and save our neighbours by wearing masks, social distancing and personal hygiene,” he said, and hailed the initiative to launch the plasma bank.

Awareness about plasma donation

Several lives could be saved through plasma donation but it was necessary to bring about greater awareness and motivate people to donate. “Anyone who has tested negative and without any side effects, can donate after 28 days,” he said. In this context, he had a word of praise for Cyberabad Police Commissioner Sajjanar for initiating an online portal for plasma donation.

Privacy and safety aspects had been preventing prospective donors from coming forward for the plasma donation whereas patient attendants had no clue about the availability and costs, said Rotary Challa Blood Bank chairman Sharath Chowdhary,

The new plasma facility will ensure that a technician will be sent to the donor’s home for checking for antibodies count and only if a doctor certifies the fitness will the plasma be taken.

“It will not take more than 45 minutes. We will be charging ₹10,500 a unit for those who can pay and it will be free for the poor,” he said. Rotary Club of Hyderabad Deccan V.V.S. N. Raju and others were present.

Later, Mr. Reddy visited the isolation facility at the ESIC Medical College & Hospital in Sanatnagar where he was informed by Dean M. Srinivas and Registrar T. Madhuri that a 200-bed ICU facility with inbuilt ‘negative pressure’ would become functional in two weeks. A liquid oxygen plan too was getting ready for ensuring adequate oxygen was available for the needy patients.

The medical college had kept its out-patient wing operating continuously from the lockdown days and more than 7,000 patients had been treated both in the COVID-19 and for other ailments. It had tested 21,000 samples and was keen to enhance the testing capacity to 6000-8000 and sought the Minister’s support to procure a high end machine for the purpose. Plasma therapy too was being undertaken and up to 15 patients had been given the same from about 25 donors, they added.