BMC rule says Covid test results cannot be shared directly with patients, BJP fumes over order
A BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) circular dated June 13 had said, “No positive test report shall be shared by the laboratory with the patient directly. Laboratory has to share the report ONLY with MCGM and MCGM in turn shall share it with the patient.”
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Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leaders in Mumbai have alleged that the Shiv Sena is violating the rights of the citizens by not providing coronavirus patients with their test results directly.
A BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) circular dated June 13 had said, “No positive test report shall be shared by the laboratory with the patient directly. Laboratory has to share the report ONLY with MCGM and MCGM in turn shall share it with the patient.”
The circular also said that the positive report for home tested persons shall be first shared with the BMC.
Reacting to the circular, senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya wrote to BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal stating that the logic given by the BMC for the circular is absurd and a ‘dadagiri’. His letter said, “Is it not nonsense that family members who are at high risk if found positive will not get information till the BMC tells them. At the same time the laboratory will inform the other remaining members that they are negative, but as per BMC diktat, they cannot, will not inform/tell the family that remaining members who are not in negative category will have to wait?”
Somaiya has also asked why should a person who’s desperate to get the report be made to wait.
Another BJP leader and MLA Ram Kadam said that the government hid the coronavirus death figures and now they are bringing an unfortunate rule. “BMC doesn’t have enough beds in the city hence they aren’t giving the test reports to patients. It’s a basic right of the patient to get the report and BMC and Shiv Sena just cannot make such a rule,” he said.
BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal justified their order and told India Today TV that these points were made to help the citizens in need. He said, “Asymptomatic positive cases start occupying all Covid beds/ICU in private hospitals against the ICMR guidelines. This was to take control of the beds in private hospitals. We now guarantee results in 24 hours in the morning line list. So there is no delay.”
Chahal also added that the lab reports are not delayed now. “Days are gone when labs were giving results in 5-15 days. Every result has to come early morning and the patient is immediately informed. In many cases, patients get positive results without labs informing BMC,” he said.
The BMC chief further said that looking at the present state he was himself drafting all the rules and looking at all decisions on a personal level.
