Soon, private doctors may not be able to prescribe tests for COVID-19 as per a new testing policy being considered by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The change in policy is being mulled, based on an input from a three-member Central team led by Union Health Ministry joint secretary Lav Agarwal. The team, which visited Dharavi, SevenHills Hospital in Marol and the isolation facility at the National Sports Club of India in Worli on Thursday, put forward some recommendations at a meeting with civic officials.
According to the new policy, high-risk contacts will have to remain in institutional quarantine and only medical officers from the Health Department will be able to refer them for COVID-19 tests. A medical officer has been assigned to each ward.
Daksha Shah, BMC’s joint executive health officer, said, “Yes, such a policy is being worked out. The objective is to prioritise testing. Only symptomatic people are supposed to be tested after physical examination. But many private doctors have been found recommending tests to asymptomatic people under family pressure. This policy will reduce the load on labs.”
Most private labs and doctors have been informed about the likely change in policy. A Mumbai lab has even put up a sign at its entrance that samples from private doctors will not be accepted. The BMC also intimated doctors in Chembur about the change.
However, a formal circular had not been issued until Friday night. A BMC official said, “The circular has not been issued because several BMC officials have opposed the move. There is concern that owing to the fear of being moved to quarantine centres, people will not report symptoms.”
A medical officer said the new policy will increase their workload. He said, “But I’m sure the department will create a standard operating procedure. People need not feel scared to be in quarantine as we have enough rooms in lodges, hotels, hostels, and dormitories. Besides, as soon as people test negative, they will be allowed to go home.”
There have been complaints from across the city of high-risk contacts of patients not being tested or quarantined, leading to panic among neighbours.
