Covid sampling resumes at Rohtak PGIMS; more staff to be hired
Rohtak, December 26
The Covid sampling facility which had been discontinued by the Rohtak PGIMS administration has resumed. It has also been decided to hire additional staff to increase Covid testing as and when required.
The said actions and several other moves have been initiated following the publication of a news-report in The Tribune regarding the matter.
The report titled, “Month on, Rohtak PGIMS Covid sampling facility non-operational”, had highlighted the lackadaisical approach of the PGIMS administration regarding Covid sampling and testing despite the threat of BF.7 variant of Coronavirus.
The news report, published on December 23, had elaborated how the Covid sampling, testing and control room facilities had been discontinued by relieving or pulling off the staff dedicated to the said facilities.
“The authorities concerned swung into action soon after the publication of the said news report and hurriedly called a meeting on the same day (December 23) and took several decisions to put the derailed mechanism back on track,” said a senior functionary at the PGIMS, requesting not to be named.
The minutes of the December 23 meeting were officially released today. As per the minutes of the meeting, a copy of which is with The Tribune, “It was decided that the Covid-19 sampling services shall continue. The sampling services will be strengthened by providing more manpower.” The meeting also decided to strengthen the Covid control room services by providing more manpower.
Noting that the staff hired for Covid-19 testing services had been relieved, the PGIMS Medical Superintendent, who chaired the meeting, requested the head of the department of microbiology to send a proposal to hire additional staff to increase the Covid testing facility if needed.
It was also decided that an effort should be made to start a genome-sequencing facility at the PGIMS and till then alternative options might be explored.
