Health authority warns against needless tests

Only PCR analysis valid for diagnosing Covid-19, says healthcare commission

LAHORE: At a time when the Covid-19 pandemic is at its peak in Punjab, dozens of diagnostic laboratories across the province are exploiting patients by carrying out their expensive serological tests that are unnecessary, The Express Tribune learnt on Thursday.

Medical experts have declared that only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are valid for diagnosis of Covid-19 but the labs are conducting serological tests of the citizens.

The labs that don’t have the facility of PCR tests are charging Rs4,000 to Rs6,000 for serological tests for diagnosing Covid-19. Many famous labs having branches in various cities are also involved in the practice.

The Punjab Healthcare Commission has warned such labs of strict action if they do not stop carrying out the serological tests.

Thousands of citizens are contracting the novel coronavirus daily and visiting the labs for diagnosis.

Four hospital labs, including those at the General Hospital and Jinnah Hospital in Lahore, and 12 private laboratories have been given permission to conduct coronavirus tests. However, a number of labs are conducting tests that are rejected by the hospitals.

During the past two weeks, the Punjab Healthcare Commission sealed several such labs but the spurious tests are continuing. The labs lack the approved kits that are required to conduct PCR test. The elements involved in the practice are adding financial burden to the tension of people suspecting to have contracted the virus

“Only the PCR test is reliable because it can tell about the status of coronavirus, while other tests from labs lacking the required kits are not reliable. We advise citizens to avoid tests other than PCR,” said Lahore General Hospital Medical Superintendent Professor Mahmood Salahuddin.

A spokesperson for the Punjab Healthcare Commission said no serological tests for diagnosing Covid-19 would be allowed at labs.

The commission said in a letter issued to all laboratories in the province that only PCR test with standard kits should be used for diagnosing coronavirus at the approved laboratories.

However, the serological tests can be conducted only for estimation of the disease stage (acute, early and convalescent) for potential donors whose PCR tests have been negative more than once.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2020.