New Delhi: What are the minimum number and type of tests that should be available in a health facility?
The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has developed one such list that would soon act as a guide for all health facilities run by govt – from village-level health centres and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) to district hospitals.
Called National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL), the draft of which has been put out in public domain for stakeholder comments, suggests that even village-level health facilities should have at least nine types of diagnostic tests available. These include tests for diabetes, malaria, TB, HIV and syphilis. At Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, the draft guidelines suggest testing for Hepatitis B should be available in addition to the basic tests that are also available at village-level health facilities.
The draft guidelines suggest primary health centres (PHCs) should have diagnostic tests available for all common illnesses, including dengue, Japanese Encephalitis and scrub typhus. X-ray and ECG machines should also be available at PHCs.
The proposed guidelines mandate availability of CT scan, MRI, mammography, and echocardiography at district-level health facilities. “The proposed guidelines are much needed, for timely diagnosis and treatment of illnesses. Currently, many health facilities being run in rural areas do not have even basic diagnostic facilities due to which people have to travel far to higher centres, where there is long waiting time, leading to the loss of crucial time in diagnosis and initiation of treatment. It can prove fatal in some cases,” an expert said.
