Correspondent KOHIMA, AUG 19 (NPN): State government has spent over Rs. 17 crore for testing COVID both through TrueNat and RT-PCR of which some 31,124 tests were through RT-PCR and 21,015 through TrueNat, state Health department said on Wednesday.
According to the department, the government has fixed testing through TrueNat at Rs. 1500 per test and that though the rate for testing through RT-PCR was not fixed, the cost could come to around Rs.4500 per test.
Addressing the media, here at the H&FW directorate office principal director H&FW department Dr. Vizolie Z. Suokhrie admitted that the rate for TrueNat test would have to be revised for private hospitals as they should not run at a loss since one cartridge cost Rs. 1,500. He added that all RT-PCR tests were being done for free till date.
Dr. Suokhrie claimed that much has been achieved to contain COVID in Nagaland which began from scratch. He said today, all district hospitals have been well equipped with ICUs activated in all district hospitals and adequate number of ventilators installed.
He claimed though some frontline workers, including drivers, handymen, three doctors, two nurses, sweepers, medical attendants and one pharmacist, tested positive, this did not dampen the enthusiasm among the frontline workers as some of them who recovered resumed work again.
He further claimed that Nagaland was doing much better than many other States in regard to infection among the frontline workers, adding that efforts are on to have zero positive cases among them. Expressing concern over the stigma and discrimination at the village and community level, Suokhrie assured everyone that one positive case in a house would not spread the virus to the neighbours as long as they isolate themselves.
The PD also said that as 95% of the positive cases were asymptomatic who could be treated at home, the community should understand and support those who tested positive.
He said the State government had issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for disposal of bodies of COVID-19 victims and hoped that colony leaders would understand what was rational and scientific. Dr. Suokhrie said the administration should intervene when asked about rules imposed by colony residents barring entry of people despite government’s standing order.
On the difference between the recovery rate and positive cases, the PD said the BSL-2 laboratory ran out of consumables in the last two weeks, while the BSL-3 laboratory ran short of RNA extraction kits that led to a backlog of over 1,000 cases. He however said things were being set in order now.
Dr. Suokhrie warned that anyone trying to deliberately spread falsehood and endangering the life of another would be penalised as per the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. He appealed to people giving samples for testing to isolate themselves till results were out.
Commenting on the reported death of a person in Dimapur on Wednesday, he said an autopsy committee had been set up to examine the cause of the death. He said after the committee submits its report, it would be examined at the State level and then only will the exact cause would be known.
He said recruitment of doctors was under process and hopefully the result would be declared by next week.
Referring to reports of “meagre salary” being paid to scientists and technicians of BSL-2 laboratory at CIHSR, the principal director said an MoU was signed between CIHSR and the H&FW department under which the latter agreed to bear the salaries of the laboratory staff.
H&FW deputy director Dr. Kika Longkumer, who was also present, informed that private hospitals in Kohima and Dimapur were getting registered for accreditation under National Accreditation Board of Laboratory and, once accredited, they can install TrueNat machines and conduct tests.
He said 15% would be additional charge on maximum retail price of rapid antigen test kits.
On allocating more funds to various districts, Dr. Kika said additional funds would be released based on the statement of expenditure of the previous amount released.
Nodal officer for Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme Dr. Nyan Kikon, who was also present, informed that 12,000 contact tracings have been done till August 17.
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