BBMP issues show-cause notices to four Covid testing labs

Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has served show cause notices to four Covid testing labs for directly providing the results to the patients without reporting the results to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) database.

"Hence we are referring this issue to ICMR for revoking the approval provided for Covid 19 testing in your laboratory and enforcing immediate suspension of KPME registration under Section 4 of the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020, Section 11 and 11 A of Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act 2017 reas with rules and Section 24(f) and 24(i) of the disaster management Act 2005. Explanations if any shall be brought forward and report the same to the Chief Health Officer within 48 hours," the notice read.

According to the ICMR reporting protocols, "they (labs) must ensure immediate/real time reporting of the test results along with the contact details to the ICMR HQ database…"

Aaarthi Scans and Labs, Medall Lab, RV Metropolis, BGS Global Medical College Lab have been served notices by the civic agency. The report of the patients have also been attached with the showcause notices.