One of the important and essential tool to fight the COVID-19 pandemic is testing suspected patient of COVID-19. Sadly, Bangladesh is doing fewer test than most of the countries in the world. Without test many people with symptoms of COVID-19 are not getting admitted in the hospital. On the other hand, many people with diseases other than COVID-19 are not getting admission into hospital as they can not show proof that they are not infected with Corona.
People are running here and there, this or that testing center for corona test but can not give samples. Even when they manage to give samples, they are getting results after much delay. By this time, many patients dying for not getting admitted to the hospital and lack of proper treatment in the hospital.
Under such condition, it was pathetic that University of Dhaka, the oldest and biggest one, has stopped test for Corona virus just after about a month it started.From the newspaper reports, it appeared that tests were closed as university authority could not manage additional expenses other than test kits.This stopping of test reveals many things, from poor planning of DU authority, insensitivity, poor leadership and management and lack of initiative. If the authorities were really sensitive, they would not be able to stop the test. They would try their best to continue the tests in this time of emergency. They would go all out for managing money, would negotiate with govt or make open call to alumni or mass people for donation. If these failed, then they could also negotiate with authority for permission of charging patients for fee.
But it seemed that they just stopped testing without much effort to continue the tests.
However, University of Dhaka can and should restart corona testing immediately, at their earliest convenience. If not for mass people, then for themselves, teachers, students and staff.
Voice should be raised from students, teachers and staff for immediate restart of COVID-19 test.
If needed, they can take permission from relevant authority so that they can charge for the cost of the test. There are many people who can afford 5000.00 BDT or even more for a single corona test.
On the other hand, many of the students have worked as volunteers in many testing facilities and some of them have recovered from COVID-19. So University of Dhaka should not have shortage of human resources for sample collection and testing.
At this moment, Bangladesh need more and more test, free test for poor and paid test for capable, wealthy. So University of Dhaka can and should restart corona test immediately in the old premise of CARS or in the medical center of the University.
