Maharashtra health minister hints at possibility of ‘unlocking everything’ by November end

Tope said that everything could be opened up in the state by November end while also hinting at further slashing the rate of RT-PCR test.

Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope on Saturday hinted at the possibility of unlocking everything, including schools, gymnasium and railway services, by November end. He also announced to slash the rate for the RT-PCR tests for coronavirus to bring them down further to Rs 800 from the existing rate of Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000 within the next eight days. It would be the fourth revision done in the wake of a drop in the rate of test kits and other overhead costs.

Heath workers in PPE kits collect nasal samples for the Covid-19 test in Mumbai, Maharashtra. (ANI)

Tope said that barring a few activities, everything has been opened up by the government under its ‘Mission Begin Again’ and the remaining restrictions will be lifted in phases by November end. “We have allowed bars, restaurants and eateries to operate early this month. The schools are expected to be open after Diwali. Railway services are being allowed this month. Religious places, gymnasiums too will be allowed to open in phased manners. Some of the activities will be allowed by October end and the remaining by November end. I think by November end everything will be opened,” he said.

Maharashtra government allowed restaurants and bars to open from October 5. The long-distance and intercity trains services within state limits have also been allowed early this month. There is a rising demand for the opening up of the shrines and gymnasiums. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, early this week, clarified that the schools will not open till Diwali and the decision about their opening will be taken by reviewing the Covid-19 situation in the state.

The state administration is wary of the second wave of the Covid-19 infection, as witnessed in many other countries, if the activities are allowed abruptly. CM Thackeray reiterated his concern during the virtual inauguration of a test lab in Washim on Saturday.

The health minister on Saturday, during an inauguration function, said that the rates of the RT-PCR kits have fallen drastically in the recent past and in the wake of it, the rates of the tests too can come down.

“We have brought the test rates to Rs 1,200 through two revisions over the last few months. The prices of the kits required for the tests have fallen further and the benefit of it should be passed on to the common people without allowing the private laboratories to profiteer. We will decide in the next 8 days to bring the rates down to Rs 800 per test,” he said.

On September 8, the government slashed the rates to Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000 from earlier rates ranging between Rs 1,900 and Rs 2,500. Initially, the test rates were as high as Rs 4,500 per test. Those were brought down to Rs 2,200 to Rs 2,800 in June; Rs 1,900 to Rs 2,500 in August and Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,000 in September. The private laboratories are allowed to charge more for the collection of the swabs from home. The initial high cost was attributed to a shortage of kits due to limited manufacturing amid lockdown, restrictions on their transportation, among other reasons.

The state government recently decided to procure 35 lakh RT-PCR kits along with other material and medicines spending Rs 634 crore. The government has fixed the rate at Rs 78.4 per kit required for the test. Based on the experience, the state government has decided to go for the revision in the test rate.

Maharashtra has around 400 testing labs including more than 200 private ones. The tests done by private labs are more than the government laboratories. Further slashing of rates, however, is expected to face resistance from the private sector.

“It has been witnessed that the private sector has been indulging into profiteering cashing in on the pandemic situation, be it the prices of masks, tests or PPE kits. The RT-PCR kits cost not more than Rs 200 and adding other overheads, per test cost does not exclude Rs 600 against which they have been allowed to charge up to Rs 2000,” said an official from the health department.