New Delhi, August 16: To ease the burden on the National Institute of Communicable Diseases and other government agencies, private laboratories will be allowed to test suspected swine-flu samples. Some private laboratories have approached government for the permission.
But the government wants to weigh the pros and cons of allowing private laboratories to test swine flu. Hence government hasn’t drawn up any guidelines or protocols yet.
On the other hand the private labs are waiting for the green signal from the government. But it is certain that only after certifying whether the labs has all the physical requirements to conduct the highly skilled genomic testing of the fragile H1N1 virus, it would be granted permission.
State additional chief seretary Sharwaree Gokhale said, “Three chains of laboratories, including Super Religare Laboratories and Metropolis, have approached us. But the decision on whether these private laboratories should be allowed will be taken by the Centre.”
Dr N Shah, of Metropolis Laboratory, which is headquartered in Worli, said, “We want to help out, but we are waiting for guidelines from the state or the Centre. Only then will we realise the precautions and care that needs to be taken.”
–Agencies–