Sri Lanka tightens COVID-19 test access

As pandemic spikes and home treatment is piloted

Glocal
By Editor_1
PCR tests being carried out in the Kotahena area by Medical Officers of the Colombo Municipal Council - J. Sujeewakumar/ENCL
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COLOMBO – Sri Lanka has tightened access to private coronavirus tests as home treatment of positive COVID-19 patients began in the Kalutara district as hospitals rapidly fill up.

The Director General of Health on Sunday (23) ordered hospitals to only carry out tests on ‘indication’ on a doctor’s order and banned walk in tests.

“The tests should be carried out only when it is indicated as per the recommendations of the Consultant or the Medical Officer in charge of the triage counter” a directive to private labs said, prohibiting walk-in or drive through PCR or Rapid antigen testing.

“If you do not abide by the guidelines, I will have to cancel the authorization of your laboratory to perform COVID-19 PCR testing and Rapid Antigen Testing,” the director general warned.

The directive said testing of those going abroad and those working in factories will still be permitted, but added that it was the  responsibility of the labs and hospitals concerned to make sure that positive patients are isolated and directed to a treatment facility.

At the beginning of the crisis, Sri Lanka’s drug regulator raided a private hospital that had imported test kits/

Local media said a daily limit has been placed on the volume of tests that private labs can do, noting that a private hospital had been warned for doing 7,000 tests a day though it had been given permission to do only 1,200 tests a day.

The directive came as authorities said they were starting home treatment of patients in the Kalutara district.

The head of the Sri Lanka’s anti-COVID-19 task force, General Shavendra Silva a private television channel that a pilot program was started in Kalutara district, elaborating that people would be kept home if they had enough room and facilities such as a separate toilet and they were asymptomatic.

“If the program is successful it will be extended to Colombo and Kalutara,” he said.

Sri Lanka has been identifying close to 3000 COVID-19 positive cases a day putting severe pressure on hospitals, despite the military and others building extra capacity.

The country is under a lockdown from May 21.

The directive in full:

Guidelines to perform COVID-19 RT PCR and Rapid Antigen testing in private Laboratories / Institutions

Further to my even-numbered letter dated 20.05.2021, you are hereby instructed to follow this guideline with regard to RT PCR/ Rapid Antigen (RAT) Testing in your hospital/ Laboratory.

  1. The tests should be carried out only when it is indicated as per the recommendations of the Consultant or the Medical Officer in charge of the triage counter.
  2. After taking the samples, the patients should be advised to isolated inside the institution/home until the report is issued, under the strict supervision by the respective hospital or the laboratory.
  3. If a patient is found to be a COVID-19 positive it is your responsibility to inform the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, the Medical Officer of Health in the respective areas and the patients.
  4. You have to arrange the positive patients to be accommodated in an Authorized COVID-19 Treatment Centres as per the recommendation of the responsible physician.
  5. No walk-in or drive through PCR or Rapid antigen testing permitted.

If you do not abide by the guidelines, I will have to cancel the authorization of your laboratory to perform Covid-19 PCR testing and Rapid Antigen Testing.

This guideline is not applicable for those who are requested to do PCR testing for the purpose of foreign travel.

Furthermore, COVID-19 testing that is carried out in workplaces is excluded from this guideline and such testing should be continued to be carried out as per the “Screening and Laboratory testing strategy for COVI-19 for employees in workplaces” issued by the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Asela Gunawardene

Director General of Health Services

-economynext.com/ENCL

 

Editor_1
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