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Coronavirus testing should be free even in private labs, SC tells government
Private labs are allowed to charge a maximum of Rs 4,500 for conducting coronavirus testing.
The Supreme Court asked the central government on Wednesday to ensure the testing facility for Covid-19 is made available free of cost to all citizens. The important directive comes at the time when private laboratories are allowed to charge people to test for Coronavirus, though the price is capped at Rs. 4500.
A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Ravindra Bhat asked the government to explore the feasibility of a mechanism to reimburse private labs for Coronavirus tests so that citizens don’t have to pay for it.
“Don’t allow private labs to charge a high amount for tests. Create a mechanism for reimbursement (of private labs) from the government”, justice Bhushan suggested.
Solicitor General, representing the central government told the court that he will take instructions in this regard.
Currently, private labs have been roped in to conduct tests for Covid-19 to augment the testing capacity available with the government facilities.
The petitioner, advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi submitted that government hospitals are packed to capacity and it has become difficult for the common man to get himself/herself tested in the government labs.
With no alternative in sight, they are forced to pay money to get the tests done at private labs. Saddling ordinary citizens with such financial burden effectively deprives them of access to medical facilities and is violative of the right to life guaranteed under article 21 of the Constitution, the petitioner submitted.
The government had allowed private labs to charge up to Rs 4,500 for the traditional test involving swab samples from nasal area and throat, however, kits for rapid testing for Sars-CoV-2 antibodies are expected to be a lot cheaper.
