Delhi govt pulls up private lab for ‘mismatch’ in Covid-19 testing data

Among the private labs, Dr Lal PathLab has the highest capacity to test Covid-19 samples, according to the government’s assessment. The company has three testing facilities for performing real-time RT-PCR Covid-19 tests, which together have a capacity of testing 4,000 samples a day.

The Delhi government has initiated an inquiry against a private pathological laboratory, Dr Lal PathLab, over alleged discrepancies in Covid-19 test reports. The laboratory accounts for three of the 13 approved private labs for Covid-19 testing in Delhi.

A district medical officer takes a police officer’s swab for a Covid test in north Delhi.(Sonu Mehta/HT File Photo)

Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday confirmed that an inquiry committee, headed by the special secretary (health and family welfare), has been constituted to investigate the alleged discrepancies.

“There was a mismatch in some test data provided by Dr Lal PathLab. So, an inquiry committee has been set up to find out the issues and to fix accountability. The committee comprises of doctors,” Jain said, in an address to media persons on Saturday.

Responding to the Delhi government’s inquiry, Dr Arvind Lal, owner, Lal PathLabs said, “We have received a communication from the Delhi government and we are providing full cooperation.”

Among the private labs, Dr Lal PathLab has the highest capacity to test Covid-19 samples, according to the government’s assessment. The company has three testing facilities for performing real-time RT-PCR Covid-19 tests, which together have a capacity of testing 4,000 samples a day. These three labs are located in north, northeast and northwest Delhi.

The inquiry comes at a time when the Delhi government is facing a problem of delayed test results. As per government reports, which was last updated on Friday, results of as many as 4,262 tests were still awaited till May 7.

It was only from Friday that the Delhi government began tightening the screw on testing laboratories. The government issued orders to all private testing labs to release test results within 24 hours of collecting the samples. In case results are not submitted within 48 hours, then the payment for the samples tested will not be made, the order stated.

The Delhi government pays the private Covid-19 labs either Rs 4,500 per test (if both sample collection and test kits are provided by them) or ₹3,500 (if the sample is collected by the government and test kit is provided by the private lab). This amount is paid from the Covid funds released by the Central government to Delhi.

It also mandated that “no testing lab shall collect sample more than 10% of its declared capacity, as overcrowding of samples leads to inordinate delays”.

Earlier in the day, the health minister has said that his department will soon start issuing notices to testing facilities over delays in report submission and discrepancies, if any.