LUCKNOW: Soon after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged states to scale up RTPCR testing, state health minister Jai Pratap Singh announced that the UP would increase the share of RTPCR tests from existing 41% to 50% with immediate effect.
“Districts have been told to increase the share of RTPCR test immediately and conduct at least 50% of Covid-19 tests through this gold standard. We will begin with districts where the case load is increasing steadily. And in a week’s time the daily average of Covid-19 tests will be increased to 1.5 lakh. The daily tests will be a mix of RTPCR, CBNAAT, Trunat and rapid antigen tests,” Singh said, adding that the proportion of RTPCR tests will be increased further to 70%.
“The goal set by the PM of conducting 70% RTPCR tests will be met very soon,” the minister said. Regarding the wastage of vaccines, the health minister said, “At 8.5% the proportion of vaccine wastage was well within the accepted range of 10%, but the state will strive to bring it down further – first below national average. A brainstorming will be conducted on how to achieve the zero wastage goal set by the PM,” Singh added.