Health department asks for additional workforce to meet testing target

To break the chain of transmission of Covid-19 infection, the health department has decided to opt for targeted testing in the district. For this, the department

To break the chain of transmission of Covid-19 infection, the health department has decided to opt for targeted testing in the district. For this, the department is finalising a list of places, where people gather in large numbers, such as wholesale markets and bus depots, where mass testing can be carried out through rapid antigen tests, said officials, adding that the department has also asked for additional workforce from the state for this purpose.

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After a meeting with the Niti Aayog earlier this week, the district health department was directed to further increase testing capacity in the district. Dr Jai Prakash Sharma, district surveillance officer for Covid-19, said, “New clusters are being identified, especially in high-risk areas like Khandsa Mandi and local markets with high footfalls, where testing will be increased. Mass testing through rapid antigen test kits will be conducted, while for the symptomatic negative patients, Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests would be administered.”

As reported by HT on Tuesday, the state health department is planning to take the everyday testing in Gurugram to 6,000. Presently, 4,000 tests are being administered every day on an average. For further testing, the health department is seeking deputation of additional workforce.

“A letter has been forwarded to the state for additional lab technicians and auxiliary nurse midwifes (ANMs) for administering tests during contact tracing,” said Dr Virender Yadav, chief medical officer. Due to a rapid surge in cases, fluctuating between 500 to 800 cases daily, it has become challenging for rapid response teams (RRTs) to finish contact tracing in three days. Presently, there are 143 RRTs in urban areas and 163 in rural areas, along with 30 lab technicians.

“For proper and timely contact tracing, additional workforce is needed. Since the focus is on quarantine of high-risk contacts and home-isolated patients, extra manpower is necessary,” said Yadav, adding that the deputation of the workforce will depend upon the state health department.