Rajapalayam MLA S. Thangapandian has said inadequate testing capacity in Virudhunagar district has caused the spread of COVID-19 infection.
“When the district administration is claiming that it is collecting 2,000 to 2,500 samples each day, it has a capacity to test only around 1,000 samples. Taking the samples to private labs is causing the delay,” the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLA said.
Recalling that his result from the private lab for the swab given at the Government hospital here came with an inordinate delay of 8 days, Mr. Thangapandian said it defeated the very purpose of increased testing.
Mr. Thangapandian, who was admitted to a private hospital in Madurai, got discharged only on Wednesday.
“Government says early detection will help in isolating the patients and prevent further spreading of the infection. But, if results do not come within 24 hours, it is bound to spread infection as the infected person would roam around and keep on meeting people,” he added.
Stating that his was not the only case, the MLA said that even the Chief Medical Officer of GH in Rajapalayam too faced the same problem.
His result came six days after the testing, the MLA said. Failure to commence treatment at the earliest would pose immense threat to the life of the infected persons.
“Why should the Government depend on private labs and allow them to make money in this troubled times? Why is the Government not increasing the testing capacity in GHs?” Mr. Thangapandian asked..
Stating that he was ready to allocate necessary funds from MLA Local Area Development Fund, he said the district administration should come forward to set up the second testing centre of the district at Rajapalayam GH.
However, Virudhunagar Collector R. Kannan said the samples were being sent only to Government IRT Perundurai Medical College hospital and the results were coming within 24 hours these days.
