Rapid Antigen Test to be conducted free of cost in 20 private hospitals of Cachar

1. August 11: From now onwards, Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for detection of COVID-19 patients shall be done by 20 private hospitals in Cachar district. An order in this connection was issued by Sumit Sattawan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Health) on Monday. It was Sushmita Dev who first raised this issue of introducing RAT in private hospitals/ nursing homes of Cachar. In this regard, she also gave a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner. A similar demand was also made by the senior citizens and another organisation ‘Nagarik Adhikar Rakkha Samiti.”

This demand was accepted by the Deputy Commissioner and two technicians from each private hospital were given training on Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). However, the management of the private hospitals were reluctant to do RAT in their establishments on the ground that the infrastructure required in this connection is not available in the nursing homes of Cachar.

Meanwhile, ending all speculations, Sumit Sattawan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Health) on Monday issued a notification wherein 20 private hospitals of the district were directed to start Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) free of cost at their respective health establishments. The notification further stated, “I am to request you to take urgent necessary steps from your end and make necessary arrangement for conducting Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) of COVID-19 free of cost with your trained Laboratory Technician in your respective health establishments. Further, you are requested to collect the RAT kit from the District Drug Ware House, Silchar
accordingly.”

Though 20 private hospitals were asked to do rapid test, yet only three of them started to do so from Tuesday. The three private hospitals of Silchar, where rapid test can be done are Green Heals Hospital, Meherpur, S.S. Poly Clinic & Nursing Home, SMC Road, Silchar and Jeevan Jyoti Health Care & Research Centre, Meherpur, Silchar.

Here is the list of the 20 private hospitals earmarked by the administration for free COVID-19 test:

• Mediland Hospital & Research Centre, Itkhola
• Green Heals Hospital, Meherpur
• Modinova Diagnostic Hospital Services
• Valley Hospital & Research Centre, Meherpur
• Burrows Memorial Christian Hospital, Alipur, Cachar
• Mawsuml Hospital, ltkhola Point , Silchar
• Ellora Nursing Home, Club Road, Silchar
• S.S. Poly Clinic & Nursing Home, SMC Road, Silchar
• South City Hospital, Meherpur, Silchar
• Kay.Cee Hospital & Clinic, Tulapatty, Silchar
• Redcross Hospital, Park Road, Silchar
• Gracewell Hospital, Meherpur, Silchar
• Sudipta Nursing Home, Vidyasagar Sarani, Silchar
• Life Line Hospital, Hailakandi Road, Silchar
• R.E.Nursing Homo & Diagnostic Centre, SMC Road
• The Proprietor, Nightangle Hospital & Research Centre, Meherpur, Silchar
• Sundari Mohan Seva Swadan, Srikona, Cachar
• Emanual Hospital, Pallapool, Cachar
• The Director, Siva Sundari Nari Sikshasram, Park Road, Silchar
• Jeevan Jyoti Health Care & Research Centre, Meherpur, Silchar