UP launches app to help residents locate nearest Covid-19 testing centre

Ghaziabad: The UP government on Saturday launched a mobile app -- Mera Covid Kendra -- which will help residents locate the nearest Covid testing centre. The app

Ghaziabad: The UP government on Saturday launched a mobile app -- Mera Covid Kendra -- which will help residents locate the nearest Covid testing centre. The app was launched by UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow.

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The state health department officials said that the app will locate the nearest centres within 5km radius and user will be able to know the exact location through the maps. They further said that anyone using a computer or a laptop can also view the list of all such Covid-19 testing centres in any district by going to the website link: http://dgmhup.gov.in/en/CovidTestCenter

The app has a list of 13 Covid-19 testing centres each in Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar districts, along with their locations. The officials said that the testing centres added with location to the app are the static centres and not the mobile testing booths.

“Till now, residents were finding it difficult to locate the exact location of the nearest testing centre. With the launch of the app, they will now be able to track testing centres. We also expect that more people will arrive for testing now,” said Ajay Shankar Pandey, district magistrate of Ghaziabad.

After launching the app, CM Yogi said, “When we started fight against Covid, we were lacking Covid testing facilities. Initially, we were doing only 72 tests per day. But with coordination of all departments, we are now conducting 1.5 to 1.75 lakh tests per day. And, these tests include 40% tests conducted by RT-PCR method and not just through the rapid antigen kits,” .

“We have also completed two crore tests now and it is all because of efforts by various departments, healthcare workers who have worked continuously even during the holidays. The World Health Organisation has also appreciated our efforts in Covid management. It is due to our efforts that we have been able to launch the app which will immensely help citizens,” he added.

The officials of the state health department said that the state has conducted a present total of 201,28,312 tests till December 5.

“We have launched the app which will help residents track the nearest testing centre. This is another initiative on part of the government to make available a citizen-centric system to the people. With the help of this app, anyone in 75 districts of the state will be able to locate nearest testing centre where Covid-19 testing will be free of cost. These testing centres will be operational from 10am to 4pm,” said Amit Mohan Prasad, UP’s additional chief secretary (health).

“Previously, we made available facility to citizens to view their test reports online. This facility has been used by about 30 lakh people so far,” he said.