Telangana High Court directive to ramp up RT-PCR testing

Hyderabad: The Division Bench headed by the Acting Chief Justice MS Ramchander Rao and Justice T Vinod Kumar on Wednesday directed the Telangana government to ramp up the RT-PCR testing in the state as there is a steep decline in the RT-PCR testing (RTPC- 5,95,721 when compared to RAT testing-50,45,609) in the state.

Keeping in view the recently concluded Ganesh festival and ensuing Dussehra, Diwali and Christmas, the Division Bench opined that there will more congregations of people and spread of Covid-19 will be high.

Testing through RAT is 10 times more than the RTPCR testing in the state, ACJ observed. Hence, the Court directed the government to ramp up the RTPCR testing, which gives accurate and authentic results rather than RAT (Rapid Antigen Test) so that preventive measures can be taken to avoid further spread of Covid-19.

During the course of adjudication of the PILs, ACJ M S Ramchander Rao, turning towards DrG Srinivas Rao, Director, Public Health and Family Welfare, said "all the government schools in the state have commenced physical classes with effect from 1-9-2021 but the fact is that the State government could administer the vaccination to only 1,49,671 teaching and non-teaching staff out of 4.93 lakh and there is an impending need to vaccinate the remaining staff.

As the children interact with the non-teaching and the teaching staff most of the time, there is a possibility of children getting affected with Covid-19 and it is imperative that the remaining staff get a vaccination so that children will not get affected.

Though children are asymptomatic, they will be the carrier of covid-19 to their houses which may lead to community spread. Hence, the Court directed the Telangana government to complete administering vaccination to the teaching and non-teaching staff across the state within two months.

Justice T Vinod Kumar, during the course of adjudication, cautioned the Director, Public Health to act fast in administering vaccination to the teaching and non-teaching staff working in all the schools because recently one teacher in Bhadradri Kothagudem died due to Covid-19 and the school was closed. After the schools were opened, some children tested positive for various reasons and some schools in Hyderabad were closed as the teaching and non-teaching staff tested positive.

Responding to the observation of the Judge, Dr GSrinivas informed that the government had taken up a special vaccination drive for the teachers and non-teaching staff in all the schools and 96% of vaccination has been completed, which includes students above 18 years in different colleges have been given the jab.

The Court further directed the T govt., to complete the vaccination (both doses) to the entire population of Telangana within 3 months apart from issuing a direction to the T govt., to place the colour graded response action plan before the Court by 30-9-2021, failing which the officials have to face the consequences, ACJ observed.

"It is said that unless both the doses of vaccination are administered, the human body does not get the immunity it requires from Covid-19, observed ACJ" and directed the Director, Public Health, to ensure that the entire population of the state is vaccinated at the earliest.

The Division Bench expressed anguish over the Union Health Ministry's lackadaisical attitude in sitting over an important aspect, which ought to have been attended but has not been done viz., non-inclusion of Life savings drugs meant to treat covid-19 affected patients in the National List of Essential Medicines, despite the ICMR recommending inclusion of medicines in the National List of essential medicines, though the list pertaining to these medicines was prepared way back in 2015.

Court to hear plea for nod to unity rally

Md Mushtak Ahmed, Social worker and President, Tahreek Muslim Shabban, filed a writ poetition seeking direction to the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, to accord permission to hold a 'Unity Rally' on 25-9-2021 from 2 pm to 5 pm, passing from Gulzar House to Quli Qutub shah grounds.

The Commissioner of Police had rejected the request of the petitioner on September 8, September 13, seeking permission to hold the Unity Rally. And hence, the writ petition which will come up for hearing before a single judge on Thursday.