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Punjab CM Capt Amarinder urges Centre to allow Covid-19 testing by private hospitals, labs
Says he will take up the issue during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proposed video conference with all CMs on Friday
CHANDIGARH: Warning of a worsening coronavirus crisis in the country, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday urged the Government of India to allow private hospitals and labs to conduct tests in order to ensure access to all people.
Amarinder said he will take up the issue of testing by private hospitals/labs with the Prime Minister during the latter’s proposed video conference with all chief ministers on Friday. He said with the number of coronavirus cases increasing, the Centre has to consider reviewing its policy.
“I do not agree with the current policy of the Government of India in this regard,” he said even as the state reported its first case of coronavirus death.
The chief minister was speaking at a summit here to mark the third anniversary of his government.
He said that given the fact that Punjab had private labs in all major cities, it was not logical for a coronavirus suspect to travel to Chandigarh or some other place to get himself tested from a government facility. He said only in case of doubt should such a person be required to go elsewhere for a second test.
Capt Amarinder said coronavirus had just entered India and the problem was likely to escalate, in line with the graph followed by other countries.
“We have to be prepared in every way,” he said.
He suggested that the Centre allow food stocks currently stored in Punjab godowns to be distributed to the poor whose earnings were impacted due to the coronavirus outbreak instead of letting them rot in the storage areas.
Since the stocks belong to the Government of India, it is in its purview to take a decision in this regard, he said, adding that the 20 million tonnes of food grains that Food Corporation of India (FCI) had yet to lift from the godowns could be put to better use by feeding the people not just in Punjab but wherever needed.
