DHS slams NEIGRIHMS director over antigen test remark

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 8, 2020

Director of Health Services (MI), Dr Aman War on Thursday said the Director of North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) has no mandate to comment on the policy decision of the state government.

His statement came as a reaction to the claims made by the NEIGRIHMS Director, Dr P Bhattacharjee that conducting antibody tests is a wasteful expenditure by the state government.

Dr War however said the test being conducted in the state is for antigen and not for antibodies as alleged in view of the COVID-19.

“Yesterday when the statement came, I was thinking that the learned NEIGRIHMS Director would realize his folly and would give a correct statement today (but he did not). Now, when he (Dr Bhattacharjee) says that we are testing for antibodies that is refuted as what we are doing now is antigen meaning we are not looking at antibodies but antigen which comes directly from the virus,” he said.

Over 71,000 persons have been tested so far with rapid antigen test (RAT) kits for COVID-19 at the entry-points and areas declared as containment with a positive rate of 3 percent, Dr War said while reiterating that antibodies test has been long gone in the state.

The state senior medical officer said that the antigen test is cost effective and is also being done at the NEIGRIHMS hospital.

“To say that it (antigen test) is a wasteful expenditure is totally wrong. (Moreover), he (NEIGRIHMS Director) has got no mandate to comment on the policy decision of the state government as he is not inside the government circle here,” he said.

Dr War further said that such a statement is being lap up by people, who are thriving only on the negativity, and thereby creating confusion among the people instead of enlightening them.   

“Through the negative statement, they have darkened what is supposed to be enlightened but let me be clear the state government is not in confusion and nobody can bring such statements to create confusion. The protocols of the government at the entry points and containment zones are very clear and that is why we are able to contain (the spread of COVID-19) despite the surge everywhere,” he added.

On the apprehension expressed over the government’s decision to charge for COVID-19 test, Dr War however maintained that payment for testing will only be applicable to citizens, who wanted to go for testing on their own. He said positive patients and their high risk contacts are exempted from payment for testing.

Asked, the senior medical official said that rates fixed for RT-PCR and antigen test are based on ICMR rate but they can be revised from time to time.