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Pvt Labs Can’t Charge More Than Rs 800 For RT-PCR Test: Delhi Govt

As the government conducts the tests “free of cost”, this move will reduce prices in private labs, the CM said.

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The Delhi Government on Monday, 30 November, capped the price of RT-PCR test by private labs at Rs 800, reported ANI.

According to the notification shared on ANI, samples that are collected by government teams and those from collection sites by Private Sector Labs as “requisitioned by the Districts/Hospitals” will be charged at a maximum of Rs 800.

Further, samples that are collected at the Labs/Hospitals/Collection facilities will be charged at a maximum of Rs 800.

Only samples collected through home visits (including all charges) will cost Rs 1200.

“Private sector labs shall mandatorily collect the samples from the testing sites as requisitioned by government team (District CDMO Office or Hospital),” the order further said.

It also said:

“Processing of samples, sharing the reports with the client (Government or individual) and updation of all reports on ICMR Portal will be ensured within 24 hours of collection of samples.”   
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Delhi CM’s Announcement

This development comes after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that he has directed a reduction in the cost of RT-PCR (real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) kits for COVID-19 testing, in a tweet on Monday, 30 November.

While the tests are being “conducted free of cost” in government establishments, this move seeks to “help those who get their tests done in private labs,” the CM stated.

Cabinet Minister of Health, Satyendar Jain, promptly replied to the tweet saying, “we will issue orders immediately”.

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Other details, including the amount in price reduction, have not been announced by the government yet.

Background

The cost of the RT-PCR test had been recently brought to the notice of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 24 November, when a Public Interest Litigation sought a response from the Centre to cap the cost of administering the RT-PCR test at Rs 400 across the country.

The PIL reportedly stated that different state governments and Union Territories, including Delhi, have a maximum price cap of Rs 900 to Rs 2,800.

The CM’s order comes amid the third COVID-19 wave, which led to a sporadic rise in the number of deaths from the viral illness.

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Topics:  Delhi   Kejriwal   coronavirus 

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