LAHORE: The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) on Saturday sealed a sample collection centre and suspended the services of a laboratory fora violating the directions and using rapid testing instead of PCR of the suspected Covid-19 cases.
It come to the notice of the PHC that Lab One was carrying out rapid diagnostics and serological tests – not considered up the standards – for detection of Covid-19. A PHC team sealed its collection centre in Garden Town whereas services were suspended at its main branch located on Multan Road.
Earlier, the PHC had directed all the public and private laboratories to refrain from carrying out such testing as false-negative tests could lead to local transmission, which may result in a large scale outbreak.
This was in pursuance to a letter from the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department. It has issued this letter in the light of the recommendations of the National Institute of Health. The Institute has not recommended any such immunochromatographic or serological rapid screening tests for the diagnosis of Covid-19 infections. The NIH has endorsed only PCR-based testing for the detection of Covid-19.
Moreover, the PHC has reiterated its earlier directions with regard to not using the rapid test methods for Covid-19.
The Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department has been requested to direct the district health authorities to take action against the labs violating the directions.