The Darjeeling district health department has directed 27 districtbased private health facilities to stop conducting Covid Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT).

In an order issued today, the department says, “As per the instructions of the Higher Authority, the Covid Rapid Tests at Pvt hospitals and nursing Homes are strictly prohibited. If any information regarding performing of Covid Rapid Test at Pvt hospitals and nursing homes will come to the District Administration, disciplinary action will be taken against such Pvt hospitals/nursing homes as per the Clinical Establishment Act.”

The chairperson of the board of administrators of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC), Gautam Deb, asked such private diagnostic laboratories to not conduct RAT. Mr Deb also alleged that such laboratories had been overcharging for RT-PCR tests by violating the rates set by the government. RATs are not considered reliable as they frequently throw up false negatives, but they give quick results.

RT-PCR tests are considered the gold standard in Covid-19 detection, health experts have said. “We have asked private diagnostic laboratories not to carry out RAT. They will have to stop such tests. The government is conducting the RAT as well as RT-PCR tests. The test results issued by the private facilities have no acceptance during admission of patients. At the same time, they have to take the rates fixed by the government for RTPCR tests, otherwise the administration will take steps against them,” Mr Deb said.

“There are allegations against a section of private laboratories that they have been flouting government guidelines and demanding exorbitant rates. RAT reports are not confirmatory. Sometimes false RAT results lead to the patients’ condition becoming serious. The guideline says that someone who tests negative, but has symptoms of the disease should undergo the RT-PCR test. There are complaints that a section of labs are not following it, resulting in many patients ignoring crucial symptoms,” health department officials said.

Mr Deb held a meeting with the Darjeeling district magistrate, Siliguri Sub Divisional Officer, district chief medical officer of health and other officials to review the situation.

“There are 2.5 lakh-3 lakh population in 14 wards of the corporation that fall in Jalpaiguri district and many of them are taking vaccines from Darjeeling district. Therefore, we will request the state health department to increase the allotment of doses for Darjeeling district so that there is no crisis,” Mr Deb said.

He said around 70,000 persons in between the ages of 18 and 44 had been identified in the district. Mr Deb said treatment under the Swasthya Sathi scheme was available in 26 private nursing homes in the district. He has written to the secretary of the health and family welfare department, Sanjay Bansal, over introduction of the scheme in 40 other hospitals.

“Those nursing homes are overcharging, not accepting the Swasthya Sathi card, and the administration has started the process of taking steps,” he added.

SMC case dip continues

The Siliguri Municipal Corporation area, including those under Jalpaiguri district, counted 141 new Covid-19 cases today, sources said, adding that Darjeeling district recorded 315 cases in total. Forty-five cases were found in Matigara, 29 in Kurseong Municipality, 27 in Bijanbari, 25 in Naxalbari, 21 in Darjeeling Municipality, 12 in Sukhia Pokhari, nine each  in Mirik and Sukna, eight in Phansidewa, seven in Kharibari and five cases in Takdah.

Four Covid patients die

Around four persons who had tested positive for Covid19 died at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, in the past 24 hours, sources said.