It started when state officials complained that poor availability of testing kits and delays by the Centre in sending the reports of samples have affected the formation of an effective strategy to counter the virus. Central officials responded that it was not economical to test an isolated sample.

Since they wait to receive nearly 40 samples to test at a time, the delay is inevitable. “We cannot conduct test for one patient. It costs Rs 10,000. If the state government wants, they can have their own facility and testing kits,” said Dr V K Raina, Joint Director, Department of National Vector Borne Disease Program, Union Ministry of Health.

Neeta Chaudhary, state’s Principal Secretary (Medical and Health), said: “Sending us reports after six months or a year does not serve any purpose. A test that takes a few hours should not take months merely to save some money.”

Chaudhary asked the director general of Medical and Health department to write to the Union Ministry of Health, asking what is important — “Saving money in tests or life of a child?”

Medical officers from Saharanpur said they were still waiting for reports of the samples they had sent for testing to New Delhi’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases in October last year.

Central representatives, however, blamed the state. “I am sure the samples from Saharanpur must have been below standard and had perished by the time they had reached labs in Delhi,” Dr Raina said.