To check Covid-19 spread, Delhi to conduct 18,000 tests per day from Jun 20

The Union Home Minister has said that the Delhi government will start conducting 18,000 Covid-19 tests per day by June 20, according to Delhi BJP chief Adesh Kumar Gupta on Monday.

"Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that by June 20, Delhi Govt will start conducting 18,000 Covid-19 testing per day and door to door tracing and mapping will be conducted in containment zones," Gupta told reporters here after the all-party meeting over the management of the pandemic in the national capital.

The all-party meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, over management of Covid-19 situation, at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) concluded.

Gupta also said that in the all-party meeting, "BJP demanded that 50 percent charges should be waived off on testing. This demand has been approved by Union Home Minister Amit Shah."

He said that during the course of the meeting, Shah had urged all political parties to set aside their differences during this hour of crisis and come together to fight Covid-19.

Representatives from BJP, Congress, AAP, among other parties and senior officials took part in the meeting held at the MHA today.
 

Shah had called the meeting after chairing one along with Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday in which Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were present.

The meeting was also attended by Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Health Secretary Preeti Sudan, Director AIIMS Dr Randeep Guleria and Members of NITI Aayog apart from other senior officers.

Speaking to reporters here, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "During the all party meeting it has been decided that 1,900 beds in state government hospitals, 2,000 beds in central government hospitals and 1,078 beds in private hospitals will be added for Covid-19 patients."

He said, 500 isolation ward coaches will be provided by railways for 8,000 patients. The number of isolation ward coaches will be increased to 1,000 in the coming days taking the facility to 16,000 Covid patients, he said.

The Rajya Sabha MP also said that the government has decided to appoint IAS officers to monitor the central, state and private hospitals in the national capital for the Covid-19 treatment.

"From June 20, we will conduct 18,000 Covid-19 tests," he said.

Shah had called the all party meeting to discuss the Covid-19 situation in the national capital. The meeting was also attended by newly appointed Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta, and Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar at the North Block office here.

Speaking to reporters, Gupta said, "We have demanded from the government to cap the price of the Covid-19 testing at the private labs." He further said that the BJP has raised the issue of increasing the number of beds in the hospitals for the Covid-19 patients.

The Congress leader said that it is the responsibility of the central and state governments to answer the people. He said, "We have submitted 11 points with the government. We have said that stadiums and places like Pragati Maidan should be taken up to ramp up capacity in Delhi. The schools and colleges and their hostels should be used for Covid-19 patients."

Commenting on the railway isolation ward coaches, he said, "As the temperature of Delhi is soaring we have asked the government to look for other arrangements instead of isolation ward coaches."

Kumar accused the AAP government of not completing the three hospital projects in the city which could have added over 2,900 beds.