RML reduces COVID-19 screening centre timings

The RML Hospital will run the screening centre for COVID-19 patients for a reduced duration from Sunday to not "keep test results pending", an official said, days after the AAP alleged the Centre-run facility was giving out erroneous test results and delaying reports.

"It has been decided that the screening centre for COVID-19 will function from 9am to 5pm with effect from June 7," read the order signed by Dr Minakshi Bharadwaj, Medical Superintendent of RML Hospital, and issued on Saturday. Earlier the hospital operated the screening centre round-the-clock. An official said the hospital was receiving more samples than its testing capacity. The reduced timings, the hospital administration hoped, would bring down the load.

"In the last one week we have been receiving over 400 samples and, in fact, in the last two days sample collection crossed over 500 when our testing capacity is of 300-350 samples per day. We don't want to keep test results pending and thus have reduced the screening centre timings. The screening facility has been functioning for 24 hours since February 1," the official said.

On Wednesday, the AAP government alleged the hospital was giving out erroneous COVID-19 test results and violating government norms of submitting them within 48 hours. The hospital maintained there was no backlog anymore and regular quality checks were being done. By Friday, coronavirus cases in Delhi had crossed the 26,000-mark and the death toll jumped to 708, according to the city government.