Chandigarh in grip of 3rd wave, GMSH yet to start RT-PCR laboratory

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, January 23

Even after the highly infectious third wave has spread its tentacles in Chandigarh, the much-awaited RT-PCR laboratory at Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16, is yet to start.

Dr Suman Singh, Director, Health Services, Chandigarh, said the laboratory was likely to begin by the end of January. The laboratory at the GMSH will be able to test 500 samples of Covid-19 per day.

The UT has been given Rs5.6 crore for projects under the Emergency Covid Response and Health System Preparedness (ECRP). The Centre has approved Rs35 lakh for setting up an RT-PCR laboratory at the GMSH. The Centre has set a deadline of March to complete the project.

As of now, the hospital collects samples for the Covid-19 test, but is dependent on the PGI and the GMCH, Sector 32, for the RT-PCR reports. The RT-PCR capacity of the PGI stands at 2,500 samples per day, while that of the GMCH is around 1,000 samples per day.

So far, the GMSH has a TrueNat machine that gives results in three to four hours, but is only meant for testing of emergency cases and not mass-scale testing.

Failing to expand the RT-PCR testing capacity in government institutions, the UT Administration had roped in private testing laboratories during the second wave. The ministry had asked the UT to increase the share of RT-PCR tests to 80 per cent of the total tests. Both the PGI and the GMCH could not stretch the capacity to 950 samples per day.

At present, Chandigarh has three government facilities for RT-PCR testing — the PGI, the GMCH and IMTECH — and three private laboratories.

Likely to begin by month-end

Dr Suman Singh, Director, Health Services, Chandigarh, said the laboratory was likely to begin by the end of January. The laboratory at the GMSH will be able to test 500 samples of Covid-19 per day.