Although the number of laboratories for testing Coronavirus samples has increased in the country, the number of tests have decreased. On the other hand, the coronavirus infection rate has increased in proportion to the test.
Analysts believe that coronavirus test fee and floods in some parts of the country are the main reasons behind the decreased number of tests. Online registration is mandatory for sample testing in some booths. Poor people also have less opportunity to use online. This is another reason for the decline of test.
While the World Health Organization has repeatedly insisted on testing, Bangladesh has reduced the number of tests. Public health experts recommended testing at least 20,000 samples daily. Despite increasing the number of laboratories, the sample test could not reach the suggested number for one day.
Additional Director General of the DGHS Prof. Nasima Sultana said "People are less interested in getting tested as the panic has decreased a lot.
As a result, the number of sample tests has slightly decreased than before. In addition, according to the World Health Organization's definition of wellness, there is no need to test a second time, which has reduced the number of tests.
Besides, the ministry has set some fees for the test, which may be a reason. However, the test fee is still free for the poor."
But no reality match was found with this statement of Nasima Sultana. According to the website of the DGHS, in the 13 days from July 1 to last Monday, around 22.90 lakh suspects have expressed interest for the test and called the hotline. Of them, it could collect only 1 lakh 85 thousand 787 samples for Covid-19 test.
According to the DGHS, the highest number of samples was tested on June 30 in the country. On that day 18,426 samples were tested. The infection rate was 19.98 percent.
On July 1, some 17,875 samples were tested. The infection rate was 21.12 percent. On July 2, the detection rate against 18,362 sample tests was 19.10 percent.
On July 3, this number of test and rate of infection was 14,650 and 21.26 percent respectively, and on July 13, 12,423 samples were tested and the detection rate was 24.95 percent. On July 14, a total of 13,453 samples were tested. The infection rate was 23.51 percent.
On July 15, a total of 13,548 samples were collected in 80 laboratories across the country. Of which 12,889 have been tested. As of that day, the infection rate was 21.20 percent of the total test.
Member of the National Technical Advisory Committee and former Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Virologist Prof. Dr. Nazrul Islam advised the health department to collect more samples for coronavirus test.
He said “The committee recommended testing at least 20,000 samples a day. Currently, it has the capacity to test about 25,000 samples across the country.
But less than half of it is being tested every day. Some health officials say the number of cases has dropped. People have become aware. Due to these reasons the number of sample test has decreased. These concepts don't match with the real scenario. In fact the rate of infection is increasing."
“Most of the suggestions made by the Technical Advisory Committee from the beginning have not been implemented,” he added.
He also said that if the health department could collect samples from a sick or suspected person's home then the number of tests and the identification would have increased.
"On the other hand, the number of sample tests has decreased due to taking fees. I don't understand how the idea came to their mind. People are already in financial crisis.
They will not come to test spending money. Besides, we don't know how it was decided not to do the second and third tests after feeling well. We have to suffer for this decision," he added.
He also said, "At the very beginning, we had many opportunities to halt the spreading of coronavirus. But it's too late to take proper action now."
"Some wrong decisions are to be blamed for spreading of coronavirus in the country. Sending expatriates in home quarantine instead of keeping them in Ashkona camp was a big mistake.
Moreover, allowing people to go their villages during Eid-ul-Fitr was also a wrong decision. Moreover, RMG workers' influx to Dhaka during the general holiday is also to be blamed for the spread of coronavirus," he added.
Additional Director General of DGHS, Professor Nasima Sultana, wrote in her letter that the government was conducting free tests. Many people were testing without symptoms. The DGHS did not have an account of how many people were being tested without symptoms.
A number of public health experts opposed the fee at the beginning. They said that many people can get tested with taka 200, 500 or more money.
But a huge number of poor people can't afford the fees. People would not stand in queue for the whole night to get tested unless it was needed, they added.