Coronavirus: Plea in SC for free of cost testing of COVID-19

A petition was filed in Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking a direction to Centre and authorities concerned to provide free of cost testing facility for COVID-19 to all citizens in country.

plea has also sought a direction to authorities for ramping up testing facilities for COVID-19 at earliest "given escalating mortality and morbidity rate across country".

petition, filed by advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi, has questioned March 17 advisory of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which capped Rs 4,500 for testing of COVID-19 in private hospitals or labs, including screening and confirmatory tests.

"It is extremely difficult for common citizen to get himself/herself tested in government hospital/labs and being alternative in sight, people are constrained to pay capped amount to private hospital/labs for protecting ir lives," it said.

plea said impending danger of coronavirus is extremely serious, given deprived population of country, and testing is only way to contain pandemic.

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It alleged that authorities are "completely insensitive and indifferent" to plight of common citizens who are already financially burdened on account of complete lockdown across country.

"Furr, capping of prices of testing facility of COVID-19 in private hospitals/labs strikes at Article 14 of Constitution of India as being arbitrary and unreasonable," it said and urged that March 17 advisory be declared arbitrary.

It also sought a direction for ensuring that all tests relating to COVID-19 are conducted under National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) or ICMR accredited pathological labs.

It said that ICMR should be directed to hold regular news briefings through national TV channels about current situation on coronavirus and precautions to be taken by citizens.

plea also said that authorities must ensure that re are adequate numbers of testing kits and testing centre for COVID-19 across country. 

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