Gamca centres approved by the government of Kuwait to do Coronavirus (COVID-19) screening test have informed applicants that these tests can only be done by government hospitals in India as the Indian government has not approved any private hospitals/clinics/diagnostic centers to conduct this test.
In response to several queries many centres have expressed inability to do the test and have directed travellers to contact government hospitals. Travellers intending to return to Kuwait after March 8 are running from pillar to post seeking clarity in the notification that makes it mandatory to have to Coronavirus clearance certificate before travelling to Kuwait.
If the issue is not clarified and procedure not simplified hundreds of thousands of Indians living and working in Kuwait are expected to be stranded back in their home country, while many more may not make the travel back home for fear of being stuck.
The situation is similar for the other countries also included in the circular but as their numbers are smaller the impact will be less. Nevertheless the confusion will continue affecting the movement of people until a solution is found.
Airlines have also expressed their reservations at the DGCA order, which states that airlines would be held responsible and have to bear the cost of returning passengers who fail to comply with the new rules. The airlines say their counter staff are not equipped to determine the veracity of certificates or whether they are from approved medical centers.
Clarifying this, the airport manager of one airline said: “Even as matters stand, airline counters at international airports in India are inundated with passengers and struggle to clear all of them in time for boarding. We are not in a position to handle the additional burden of verifying each passenger to ascertain whether their health certificates are authentic, or that they are from approved medical centers.” Another airline staff quipped in: “This is the job of the DGCA, since they are the ones who initiated the new rules. If there are violations then the DGCA must find the means to make the passenger pay for the fare back home.”
