Expert committee asked to submit revised proposal for rapid testing

The health ministry has directed the expert committee on rapid testing to come up with a revised proposal while including more details into it.

The committee will have to submit the proposal within August 23. The instructions came during a meeting at the health ministry on Tuesday.

Professor Liaquat Ali, head of the expert committee, told the Business Standard: "At Tuesday's meeting, we presented our scientific explanations and analyses on rapid testing." 

"We have been asked to include more details into our proposal. The ministry will make a decision when we send them on August 23."

Although six months have passed since Covid-19 broke out in the country, the rate of sample testing is nowhere near where it should be. 

So, the government is going to approve a guideline for the expansion of Covid-19 testing. Rapid testing will be allowed under this guideline.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) already prepared a draft policy on rapid testing and sent it to the health ministry on July 9, sources at the health directorate said.

Later, the ministry formed a committee of experts with Professor Liaquat Ali as its chairman.

The committee prepared a sample testing expansion policy on August 4 and sent it to the Health Services Division of the health ministry.