On Monday, the High Court of Delhi directed the Govt. of Delhi why it wasn't allowing private labs & hospitals dealing Coronavirus patients to conduct rapid antigen tests & noted that it has not been able to meet its own targets of conducting the same in Delhi.
A division bench of Justices Hima Kohli & S Prasad observed that Delhi Govt isn't able to meet half of its target estimated for conducting rapid antigen tests in Delhi.
The HC was hearing a petition of Lawyer Rakesh Malhotra, seeking directions to allow the private labs & private hospitals which are treating COVID-19 patients to conduct rapid antigen tests for identifying the infected people.
Appearing for Delhi Govt, Advocate Satyakam, on oral instructions told the Court that the Govt had kept a target of doing 22,000 tests in a day in the eleven districts of the state. However, he submitted that only around 9,356 rapid antigen tests were conducted on June 21.
The Court noted that it was not even 50% of estimated targets & added that the estimates should be reasonable.
The Court asked that "Why can not you (Delhi government) allow antigen testing in all private places".
Advocate Satyakam said that rapid antigen tests are being conducted on the trial basis for a week from June 18 & added that they will decide the future course of action after one week of trial. Now it is being conducted in the containment zone, he submitted.
Thereafter, the Court listed the matter for further hearing on June 25.
Earlier, the HC had asked all the private hospitals in Delhi to reserve 20% beds for admitting Coronavirus patients, who are equipped with labs to conduct the COVID-19 test & have the sanction of the ICMR to do so, should proceed to conduct tests on symptomatic & asymptomatic persons, who seek admission in the hospital for undergoing surgeries or other procedures of other nature as well.
The Court was hearing an application seeking to increase the number of laboratories that can undertake tests for Coronavirus & ramp up the testing process in respect of asymptomatic & symptomatic patients. The petition was filed by Lawyer Sanjeev Sharma on a plea of Lawyer Rakesh Malhotra, which was disposed of by the bench on May 4.
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