BackGovt plans lower price cap for covid tests at pvt facilities
While Delhi and Maharashtra have reduced testing prices to ₹2,200, other states continue to have variable rates
PremiumNEW DELHI : The Centre is considering slashing the price cap further for covid-19 testing at private hospitals and diagnostic centres to make it affordable for the masses. In March, it had first appealed to private laboratories to offer free testing, but subsequently capped the price at ₹4,500.
However, in May, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had removed the price cap and asked states and Union territories to negotiate with private laboratories for “mutually agreeable" rates.
In June, the apex biomedical research body said the private sector should further lower the costs as reagents and testing material were being sourced locally and not imp-orted as was the case earlier.
While Delhi and Maharashtra capped testing prices at ₹2,200, other states have variable rates. Therefore, ICMR is considering a mandatory cap on prices pan-India.
“We are contemplating a price cap for testing, considering that no individual should be deprived. Only through increased testing will we be in a better position to defeat this virus," said Dr Balram Bhargava, director general, ICMR. “We want the private sector to play a bigger role in expanding testing. Their testing capacity should be fully utilized."
As on Sunday, 418,112 covid-19 patients have recovered. In the past 24 hours alone, 14,856 patients were cured.
India has 170,619 more recoveries than active cases, taking the national recovery rate for covid-19 to 60.77%. All 247,493 active cases are under active medical supervision.
So far, 21 states and UTs have registered a better recovery rate than the national average, including Chandigarh (85.9%), Ladakh (82.2%) and Uttarakhand (80.9%).
In view of the surge in covid-19 infections, ICMR said private hospitals should shoulder a larger responsibility for testing, and a campaign should be launched with private participation to make testing accessible to the masses.
“It is desirable to have a uniform price for covid-19 diagnosis, by the gold standard RT-PCR test, across the country as costs for testing are generally similar. This was also mandated by the Supreme Court," said Dr Harsh Mahajan, founder of diagnostic chain Mahajan Imaging in New Delhi.
“However, it is a must for ICMR to fix a reasonable price which is viable, because private sector labs have to make ends meet," he added.
ICMR has approved 1,065 laboratories for covid-19 testing, including 768 state-owned facilities and 297 private labs. It is also in the process of validating new kits.
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