Staff REPORTER

ITANAGAR, Apr 23: Health & Family Minister Alo Libang today informed that from April 25 onwards, laboratory testing for COVID-19 will be carried out at TRIHMS, Naharlagun as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines.    

To a poser on setting up of the COVID-19 testing laboratory, the Minister said: “There is no need to panic. We do not need to react to public outcry. Whatever we do, will do for the safety and protection of our people. Whatever is to be done, we will do that, maintaining quality and as per ICMR guideline.”

Admitting that number of tests conducted for suspected Coronavirus were less in absence of testing facility in the State, he said COVID-19 tests are carried out considering the asymptomatic and symptomatic patients.

The Minister also said apart from the two COVID-19 hospitals being set up in Itanagar and Pasighat, we are contemplating to open such hospitals in 10 other districts which are to be equipped with ICU, ventilators etc to fight Coronavirus.

On relaxation of inter-district movement, the Health Minister said that those got stranded in Itanagar Capital Region will be allowed to go to their respective districts on April 25 & 26, adding that patients & their attendants were already allowed to move on.

Asserting that maintaining personal hygiene and practicing social distancing were the key to combating COVID-19, he said until and unless vaccine is created, it’s my appeal to public that it will be safe to keep oneself home-quarantined to keep the virus at bay.

Libang was talking to media while inspecting the quarantine facility at PTC, Banderdewa today. He said the Health department along with the police and district administration is all set to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. He informed that the quarantine facilities set up in the capital region including Banderdewa can accommodate around 8,000 people once the lockdown is lifted.

When contacted, Health Secretary P Parthiban also confirmed that RT-PCR test for suspected Coronavirus will be carried out at the laboratory at TRIHMS, Naharlagun from Saturday next and results of the tests will be made public as per COVID-19 protocol.

Till date, the State is dependent on the testing laboratories in neighbouring Assam, which at present has six ICMR-accredited laboratories where 5,000 samples can be tested in a day now.