THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the state health department unable to meet the target of one lakh RT-PCR tests per day, it has been decided to outsource the testing to companies that provide mobile testing labs.
A proposal in this regard was made to the Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) and the state health department has given the go-ahead.
The KMSCL has been directed to procure mobile RT-PCR lab services from Sandor Medicaids Pvt Ltd that has promised to provide RT-PCR tests at Rs 448.2.
The KMSCL has been asked to give work orders to similar companies that can provide mobile testing labs at the same rate.
"The government decided to explore the possibilities for the procurement of mobile RT-PCR lab services from the private agencies to do the services such as visiting the identified sites, collecting the samples of the identified segments, do testing and data transfer to the Lab Diagnosis Management System, and to do testing by RT-PCR technology," said Rajan N Khobragade, principal secretary (health).
Each mobile lab will have the capacity to perform at least 2,000 RT-PCR tests daily. The area to which the mobile PCR lab needs to be mobilised has to be scheduled in advance by the district surveillance teams and intimated to the agency. The daily minimum guaranteed PCR tests per lab are 1,800. The concerned DSO (district surveillance officer) is to ensure it by defining the areas in which the outreach testing is to be conducted.
The district surveillance units have been asked to perform an on-site inspection of the mobile lab to ensure adherence to ICMR and state guidelines. The district authorities also should ensure that the services of the mobile RT-PCR lab are provided free of cost to the beneficiaries sponsored by the government.
KMSCL will initially provide the contract for three months, which may be extended based on the requirement. It has been directed that the data gathered by the agency as part of testing should not be used for any other purpose.
As per the operational guidelines released by the health department, all the mobile RT-PCR laboratories should obtain ICMR approval and be subjected to the quality assessment and quality control machinery of ICMR and the state health department.