AIIMS Delhi removes charges for lab tests, X-rays, other investigations

AIIMS Delhi has made all lab tests, X-rays and other investigations free of cost in the AIIMS hospital and all centres with immediate effect.

In a move that will bring a huge respite to patients from the economically weaker sections, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday issued an order removing all charges for lab tests, X-rays and other investigations in the hospital, the hospital administration said.

The patients who require repeated tests for prolonged periods will also get lab tests, X-rays and other investigations done free of cost at AIIMS Delhi.

The order issued by AIIMS’s medical superintendent Dr DK Sharma on Thursday said that the hospital will no longer charge patients user fees for conducting lab investigations. Currently, the user charges or lab charges amounted to around ₹300.

“The undersigned is directed to notify that president AIIMS is pleased to approve the abolition of user charges for all investigations/laboratory charges currently costing up to ₹300 per procedure in the AIIMS hospital and all centres with immediate effect,” the order said.

Dr Sharma said that this move will be particularly beneficial for patients from economically weaker sections, who comprise a large share of the hospital’s patient load.

“This might not seem a lot to middle-class family but to patients from economically weaker backgrounds, this would be a huge relief. There are also patients whose treatments require repeated tests and investigations for prolonged periods, they will also benefit from this,” an administrative officer of the hospital explained.

According to the latest lab rates of the hospital, the rate for various tests for blood clinical chemistry would be anywhere between ₹25 and ₹250 depending on the type of test, for urine chemistry the lab charges range from ₹10 to ₹200 and for fluid and stool tests the price range is ₹10- ₹50.