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Tamil Nadu cuts RT-PCR price, declares black fungus as notified disease
(PLAYBACK) Chennai Tamil Nadu on Thursday slashed prices of RT-PCR tests, introduced vaccines for the 18-45 age group and declared mucormycosis as a notified disease
(PLAYBACK)
Chennai
Tamil Nadu on Thursday slashed prices of RT-PCR tests, introduced vaccines for the 18-45 age group and declared mucormycosis as a notified disease. The announcements came from a notice issued by state health secretary J Radhakrishnan.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit declared mucormycosis or black fungus as a notified disease under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Public Health Act, 1939, which means from now on all hospitals treating this fungal infection will have to notify the public health department. Nine people have been identified with mucormycosis in Tamil Nadu. “Of the nine, seven patients are diabetic,” Radhakrishnan said at a press briefing.
“Treatment has been started for all of them. There is no death reported till now,” he said.
The government reduced the price of RT-PCR tests from ₹1,200 to ₹900 in private labs across the state. For those who are covered under the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS) the price has been reduced from ₹800 to ₹550. The prices of pooled samples are reduced from ₹600 to ₹400.
Additionally, ₹300 can be levied for testing at home. After last year, this is the second time that prices are being capped. Tamil Nadu, as a policy, conducts only RT-PCR tests and not rapid antigen tests.
Meanwhile, chief minister MK Stalin launched the vaccination drive for the 18-44 age group in the state from Tiruppur district. The state received 9.6 lakh vaccines from the Centre for this age group and has another 4.2 lakh to be received.
Tamil Nadu was among several states who couldn’t roll out vaccines for this age group on May 1 due to shortage. However, private hospitals, which had procured more vaccines, initiated it for the age group. The state plans to procure 1.5 crore doses through the Centre and 3.5 crore doses through a global tender.
