After Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh to reduce Covid test cost

Amarjot Kaur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, June 19

The UT Health Secretary, Arun Kumar Gupta, in an exclusive conversation with Chandigarh Tribune, today hinted at reduction in the rate of Covid-19 test at private centres in the city. The official announcement in this regard “will probably be made on Monday”.

First, the National Capital and now the Haryana Government has followed the recommendations of a Central Government committee report on reducing the price of Covid-19 test samples to Rs2,400 at all government and private centres.

In the city, the Administration is providing free testing and treatment at the government-run hospitals, except at SRL Diagnostic, Sector 11. This centre has been authorised to collect samples and test them at subsidised rates of Rs4,500 per patient.

Talking about reducing the upper limit on Covid-19 test rates, Gupta shared, “The SC has already directed the Central Government to fix an upper ceiling for Covid-19 testing in all states. In a day or two, we may receive a communication from the Centre in this regard. If not, then on Monday we will take a decision on setting an upper limit.”

As per the IMCR’s March 17 circular, testing for Covid-19 was made available through private laboratories and upper limit of single test charges was capped at Rs4,500.

Now that Rt-PCR testing kits are manufactured in India and readily available, the IMCR, in a letter dated May 25, had communicated to states to negotiate and fix a mutually agreeable price for Rt-PCR tests for Covid-19.