It is not necessary that political leadership of a state has to have complete knowledge of everything, especially with regard to scientific and medical related issue. It is the responsibility of the bureaucrats to explain to the leaders what is right and what is wrong.
On Friday, Andhra Pradesh chief minster Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy formally inaugurated the rapid test kits meant for testing the blood samples of Coronavirus suspects. Nearly one lakh test kits were imported from South Korea in bulk quantities through a special chartered flight.
It would have been enough if the officials requested the chief minister to formally open the box of the rapid test kit. But some enthusiastic officials in the CMO requested Jagan to undergo the test, stating that it would give a lot of confidence to the common people about the test for Coronavirus.
So, Jagan happily underwent the test and expectedly, he tested negative. The CMO authorities released the picture and the matter to the media to convey the message that Jagan tested negative for Covid-19 and everybody should undergo the test.
In fact, there was nothing wrong in what Jagan had done, as he thought it would send a positive message to the people. But it was learnt later that such tests should not be conducted on everybody.
Late in the evening, when the picture and the report about the chief minister undergoing the tests was carried in the digital media, it went to the notice of the Centre. Immediately, Union health secretary Preeti Sudan reportedly messaged to state special chief secretary (health) K S Jawahar Reddy that rapid antibody should not be conducted on normal people and the chief minister should not have undergone such tests.
According to the medical protocol, rapid antibody tests should be done only on the people who displayed Coronavirus symptoms. Even on those who had returned from abroad and did not display symptoms, tests should be conducted only when they show the symptoms after the 14-day quarantine period.
“Please study the guidelines for conducting the rapid tests and follow the instructions. Please explain the same to the Hon’ble chief minister as well,” Sudan is learnt to have told the state officials.
