What are the minimum number of tests that should be available at government healthcare facilities? ICMR releases draft list

The research body, in its draft document, has increased the number of medical tests that should be available at all levels of healthcare facilities

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recently issued a draft National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL), which lists the minimum number of tests that should be available at various levels of healthcare facilities in the country.

Aimed at bolstering diagnostic services across the country, this revised list seeks public feedback before its final notification. Members of the public can send in feedback on or before January 15, 2025. The ICMR released the first NEDL in 2019 to make diagnostics an essential component of the healthcare system.

The facilities covered under the draft includes village-level facilities, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, primary health centre (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), sub district hospitals (SDHs) and district hospitals (DHs).

According to the revised draft, nine types of diagnostic tests, including those for diabetes, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and syphilis should be made available at health centres in village-level health facilities. Ayushman Arogya Mandirs should have facilities for Hepatitis B tests available in addition to the nine diagnostics that are available at the village-level health centres .Tests for dengue and Japanese Encephalitis and other common illnesses must be available at PHCs in addition to X-ray and ECG facilities.

District-level hospitals must have CT scan, MRI, mammography and echocardiography facilities, according to the draft guidelines.

Hub and spoke model

The revised NEDL draft adopts a hub-and-spoke model, where sample collection occurs at all healthcare levels, but actual testing is centralised at equipped centers. “This approach ensures efficient use of resources while expanding access to essential diagnostics,’’ said a senior Union Health Ministry official.

Prepared by incorporating inputs from relevant stakeholders and feedback from multiple consultation meetings the draft of the second NEDL has been placed in the public domain for feedback and comments from various stakeholders.

Elaborating on the key enhancements of the revision, the draft notes that Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will increase tests from 12 to 16 to ensure more comprehensive care at the grassroots level while at PHCs, the number of tests will rise from 64 to 74, at CHCs 93 tests will be offered, up from 70, and at district hospitals the number of tests will increase from 117 to 171. Additionally, for village-level testing, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) will conduct tuberculosis testing directly.

“Appreciating the urgent need to improve the availability of quality diagnostics at all levels of healthcare facilities in the country, ICMR has drafted the second edition of NEDL. The list has been drafted in consultations with all the relevant stakeholders for all levels of health care. The comments/views on the draft may be forwarded via email at icmr.nedl2@gmail.com on or before 15/l/2025,’’ the Council has said.

It adds that the revised NEDL has been harmonised with available Health Ministry guidance documents and aligned with national health programmes. “It builds upon the first list and provides recommendations for diagnostic tests across various levels of healthcare facilities, including village-level facilities, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs -Sub-Centres, PHCs, CHCs etc,’’ adds the document.

Published - January 13, 2025 05:15 pm IST