Uttar Pradesh government takes major step in COVID fight; puts cap on rates for tests

To make Coronavirus tests affordable for people in the private laboratories, the Uttar Pradesh government has taken a major step by putting a cap on the rates of COVID-19 tests.

After reports came in from several places that asymptomatic spreaders are playing a significant role in the spread of the pandemic the government stepped up its efforts in this direction. A lot of people infected with the coronavirus have very mild or even no symptoms, or ones that don't match the usual markers of fever, dry cough or difficulty in breathing.

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The discovery of larger numbers of asymptomatic cases, initially thought to be rare, underlines a key challenge to stop the pandemic: If people don't know they're infected, they're probably not taking steps to prevent transmitting it. For that, the Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh has put a cap on the price of Coronavirus tests so that more and more people can be tested.

According to a statement released by the principal secretary health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad, people who undergo COVID-19 tests at private labs will have to pay only 1,500 rupees in the first step for the screening of COVID-19, if their bodies' viral is found to be high and the patients will have to undergo for a confirmatory test then they will have to pay Rs 3,000 for the confirmatory test.

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In an official statement, Amit Mohan said that the fee has been decided by the Indian Council of Medical Research ICMR, after that the state government has fixed the rates at Rs 2,500. He mentioned that it had come to the notice of the department that certain designated labs were charging Rs 4,500, which is against the prescribed guidelines of ICMR and the order stated that Labs cannot charge more than Rs 2,500 for a single step of COVID-19 test. In order to ensure private sector players do not take advantage of the ongoing crisis, the UP government has fixed the rates for COVID-19 tests at private labs.

If labs are found to be overcharging, they will be booked under the relevant provision of the Epidemic Act 1897 duly Amended.
Health officials also pointed out that all private labs will have to inform the Chief medical officers of the respective districts in case any person was found to be positive, besides apprising the ICMR. Labs also expected to cooperate for quality audit, he added.