Doctors wanting to do a COVID-19 test as point-of-care unable to find accredited laboratories nearby, thereby limiting testing amid rising cases
This picture has been used for representational purposes. Picture/Ashish Raje
The Maharashtra Association of Practising Pathologists and Microbiologists (MAPPM) has asked the ICMR to withdraw an advisory making it compulsory for private laboratories to get accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to do antigen COVID-19 tests, arguing that the NABL accreditation is not the only criteria for accurate reports. MAPPM president Dr Sandeep Yadav has written to ICMR in the matter. "Many laboratories have been denied permission for lack of NABL accreditation. This is contradictory to the Centre's observation that in some States/ UTs, the capacity utilisation of testing labs, particularly in the private sector, is grossly sub-optimal," said Dr Yadav.
He said there are 761 labs approved by ICMR but not accredited by NABL in the public sector. "So, NABL accreditation cannot be the only criteria for quality and accurate reports. Otherwise, these laboratories need to be stopped too," said Dr Yadav.
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He added that the doctors are working amid COVID-19. They are attending to regular OPDs, but with unlock, many patients are getting infected. The doctors want rapid antigen tests but they don't have access to NABL accredited laboratories nearby. "Rapid antigen test is quick, simple, safe and can be used as a point-of-care test in Containment Zones as well as in hospitals and in preoperative settings. But the rider of NABL accreditation being mandatory is a major hurdle to ramp up testing," Dr Yadav said.
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