LNP – Some private hospitals violating protocols when conducting PCR tests: NOCPCO

Some private hospitals have completely violated Health Ministry guidelines when conducting PCR tests and exceeded their capacities without following Ministry procedures, the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) said.

This was revealed during a discussion held yesterday by Army Commander and Head of NOCPCO General Shavendra Silva together with Director General of Health Services Dr Asela Gunawardena with private sector health authorities yesterday.

Conduct of PCR tests against payments, irregularities reported about violation of Health Ministry-laid protocols and limitations and capacities, non-compliance with Ministry directives were discussed during the meeting.

General Silva instructed private hospitals, authorized to conduct PCR tests to do so in line with guidelines, set out by Ministry of Health without resorting to malpractices and charging exorbitant sums of money from clients.

He also urged them to coordinate with the Epidemiology Unit with numbers of PCR tests to be conducted in their respective hospitals.