Thread

I investigate the claims KP govt is making of increasing covid testing capacity now from 300 to 1000/day in next couple of days. KP got 2000 Rapid PCR testing kits from Senstech. Kits were checked at KMU’s lab by NIH and the tesult was unsatisfactory. 1/5 https://twitter.com/indyurdu/status/1247187586638139392">https://twitter.com/indyurdu/...

@Jhagra and the Covid task force were of the opinion the rapid test kits would increase the testing capacity but the kits were turned faulty. NIH’s team recommended to return it to suppliers. The letter, copy available with @indyurdu quoting the supplier as saying cold chain 2/5

Of the kits were not properly maintained as cargo was delayed. Now KP has to return the kits and will procure a new shipment that would take weeks to reach KP. The rapid testing kits were supposed to be handed over to quarantine and districts centres for rapid testing. 3/5

Also, High level official of health deptt told me at the current HR, the prov lab is only capable of doing 200-250 tests/day. Tho, he asked if the govt is capable of collecting 1000 samples from all the districts and send it to the lab and then prepare the result and send it 4/5

Back to the districts incase there is covid+. Also, the official wondered how come the district admin would quarantine and would lockdown the streets and villages incase 300/1000 were tested positive. The official termed the KP claim as ‘political statement’ while situation 5/5

On ground is totally different than what ministers telling on social media.