New Delhi

RT-PCR reports taking 72 hours, patients having to go to the centre many times to collect the reports and numerous delays due to non-receipt of reports are among the issues that have been flagged by the All India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF) to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

AIGNF Secretary General G.K. Khurana, in a letter to Kejriwal, pointed out that serious issues are being faced by the citizens of Delhi regarding RT-PCR reports.

"Test for Covid-19 is done at every kilometre which is a great relief to Citizens of Delhi. But that is of no use if people are not getting reports in time i.e., up to 48 hours. Nowadays more than 72 hours are taken to give a report to people and even after 4-5 days people are not getting their RT-PCR reports," the letter said.

The AIGNF said that people are not getting reports in time, and in absence of it, patients roam in public and spread infection to others because he/she is not following home isolation until their Covid report turns out positive.

One year has passed but till date no such website is developed from where people can download their report, it said.

The federation said people have to visit the centre where they gave samples many times, as there are very few people who are getting reports on their registered mobile, and due to this, treatment of Covid-19 patients is delayed and by that time, condition of patients becomes serious and life-threatening.

Also many times, people are informed on the phone that they are Covid-positive but a copy of the report is not given, and they have to struggle for it because the report has to be submitted in their office for leave.

People receive sample collection messages through SMS in which the name of laboratory is mentioned, but once they go there to collect the report, they come back empty-handed, it claimed.

AIGNF said many times, names of labs are wrongly written, and they came to know that the NCDC is also facing the same issue. People reach there for their report along with the SMS but find that the sample has not been sent there.

People are missing their train and flights in absence of a report or pay 2-3 times to private labs to get RT-PCR report in time, while many times, surgeries are postponed in the absence of Covid report. People get surgery dates after long wait and then their wait is further increased, the AIGNF said.

In hospital treatment procedures, travelling, mothers expecting deliveries (planned Caesarean) are asked for negative RT-PCR of last 72 hours but by the time the report comes, 72 hours are already over and report is of no use by that time, it said.

Patients in distress conditions are facing problems in getting admission to hospital as neither Covid hospital nor non-Covid hospitals admit those whose reports are awaited.