E-Paper
New govt app for labs to report test data quicker
This application is linked to the main data base operated by the health ministry that will automatically keep updating it.
With discrepancies in reporting of sample testing data found from certain labs, the Union health ministry on Wednesday launched a dedicated real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) mobile based application, for labs to fill the data at the point of sample collection.
“It is an app for collection centres to fill data at the point of sample collection, to minimise error in reporting real time data to the government authorities. It was seen that the data was being duplicated as it was sent separately to various authorities involved, such as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the state government. Now just one time entry will help reach the information everywhere, which will also save the time and reduce other errors such as address, name, and so on,” said a health ministry spokesperson.
This application is linked to the main data base operated by the health ministry that will automatically keep updating it.
The director general of ICMR, Dr Balram Bhargava, who is responsible for overseeing Covid-19 testing, said, “The app has been made functional and needs to be put to use immediately.”
So far, a total of 7695 people have been cured, which takes India’s current total recovery rate to 24.5%. The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 31,332.
In the past three days, the doubling rate has been 11.3 days in the country. “…although global mortality rate is around 7%, India is having a mortality rate of around 3%, and around 86% of the fatalities are of persons with co-morbidity. Only 0.33% patients are on ventilators, 1.5% patients are on oxygen support and 2.34% patients are in ICU, which reflects the quality of care being provided across the country. In case of any further eventuality, the country is well equipped with isolation beds, ventilators, PPE [Personal Protective Equipment], and masks,” said Union health minister Harsh Vardhan.
A present, 288 government laboratories are working along with 97 private laboratory chains, with around 16,000 sample collection centres, and testing around 60,000 samples per day. The government is working to increase the testing capacity to 1 lakh tests per day within next few days.
The health secretary, Preeti Sudan, held a review meeting with states through video conferencing on Wednesday, and discussed the functioning of the systems dashboard, Covid-19 portal, apart from releasing the RT-PCR application.
The health secretary again directed to states that medical treatment to non-Covid-19 patients should not be denied, and essential care, such as dialysis, cancer treatment, diabetic care, anti-natal care for pregnant women and those suffering from cardiac ailments and other chronic conditions, must continue.
