ICMR tells states to fix Covid testing price with private labs after removing Rs 4,500 cap

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has written a letter to states and Union Territories asking them to come up with a price cap for COVID-19 testing in consultation with private labs. This comes shortly after ICMR removed the price cap of Rs 4,500 for the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test used to detect COVID-19 on Tuesday, asking states and UTs to arrive on "mutually agreeable" rates for the test with private labs. 

"Earlier suggested upper ceiling for Rs 4500 may not be applicable now and all state governments/UTs to negotiate with private labs and fix mutually agreeable prices for testing," read the letter by ICMR.

 Read: WHO Executive Group Pauses Solitary Trial On HCQ To Review Data As ICMR Expands Its Usage

Read: ICMR Removes Price Cap Of Rs 4,500 For Coronavirus Tests

'1.1 lakh samples tested every day'

While addressing the regular press brief along with the Ministry of Health, ICMR Director-General Dr.Balram Bhargava elaborated on the increase in COVID-19 testing in India. According to him, the country had 612 COVID-19 testing labs- 430 public labs and 182 private labs currently in comparison to one lab in January. He added that more categories of individuals including symptomatic frontline workers, symptomatic SARI patients and symptomatic ILI patients were being tested for the novel coronavirus. Additionally, Dr.Bhargava mentioned that 1.1 lakh samples were being tested every day. 

Dr.Balram Bhargava commented, "India has significantly ramped up its testing in the last three months. In January, we had just one lab that was capable of testing for this virus. Also, we had an intelligent and calibrated testing strategy which was responsible for testing the right people- not over-testing or under-testing people and getting the right calibrated results. On February 20, we had 14 public labs. On March 31, we had 125 public labs and 52 private labs. And today, we have 612 labs out of which 430 are public labs while 182 are private labs. In the month of February, we were just screening and testing travellers. Now, we are testing travellers, healthcare workers, frontline workers who are symptomatic, symptomatic SARI patients, symptomatic ILI patients. We are now testing 1.1 lakh samples in a day."

India's count of total Covid cases rose to 151,767, of which 83,004 are active. Total deaths currently stand at 4,337 and recoveries at 64,425.

Read: India's Recovery Rate Surges To 41.61% From 7.1% In March; ICMR Hails Testing Strategy

Read: ICMR Clarifies 'no Major Side-effects' Of Hydroxychloroquine, Advises To 'continue' Usage

(With Agency Inputs)