Coronavirus: Delhi has recorded over 5.6 lakh of COVID-19 cases with 9,066 deaths, so far. (Archive)
Highlight
- RT-PCR tests for Covid can cost up to Rs 2400 in Delhi private labs
- States like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu have limited the cost of RT-PCR
- Supreme Court guilty plea seeks order to cap cost of RT-PCR to Rs 400 across India
New Delhi:
Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has ordered a price cut for the most reliable RT-PCR tests for COVID-19. Although these tests are performed for free in government hospitals, they can cost up to Rs 2,400 in private laboratories.
Party chief Aam Aadmi tweeted the information on Monday days after being removed by the High Court, Supreme Court about the pandemic / containment status in the capital and the center’s intervention amid a third wave of coronavirus infections, which seems to be waning.
“I have ordered RT-PCR testing rates reduced in Delhi. While testing is done free of charge in government establishments, this (price reduction) will help those testing in private labs,” Kejriwal tweeted. .
I have ordered the RT-PCR test fees in Delhi to be reduced. Although testing is done free of charge in government facilities, this will help those who are tested in pvt labs.
– Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 30, 2020
“He will issue the order immediately,” Delhi Health Minister Satendar Jain replied.
Many states, including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu, have capped the cost of RT-PCR testing after India’s main medical research body, ICMR, said in May that it would no longer regulate the price, and now each state would have to. individually.
The cost of an RT-PCR test has come under scrutiny from the Supreme Court, which is hearing a petition seeking instructions to limit the cost to Rs 400 across the country.
The statement claims that different fees are charged across the country, while the cost of the test actually runs at just Rs 200. It said that the cost of the RT-PCR test was set between Rs 900 to Rs 2,800 by various state governments. and Union Territories.
Recently, Delhi and central governments both launched mobile test vans offering free coronavirus testing.
The decision was made after Delhi Chief Minister’s urgent Covid containment meeting with Interior Minister Amit Shah, who ordered a doubling of Delhi’s RT-PCR testing capacity, in addition to increasing hospital beds for patients. Covid patients and healthcare personnel in city hospitals.
Following this, the Delhi government had said it would increase its daily testing capacity from 60,000 per day to more than 1 lakh, with RT-PCR testing mostly amidst a continued increase that saw a record 8,600 cases last year. November 10.
So far, Delhi has recorded more than 5.6 lakh of COVID-19 cases with 9,066 deaths. The city’s daily coronavirus infections remained below the 5,000 mark for the second day on Sunday with 4,906 fresh infections with 68 deaths.
Delhi was recording nearly 100 Covid-related deaths per day in the week ending Sunday.
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