The fresh order states that the government will reimburse private labs irrespective of the coronavirus testing kits they use. (Representational)
The Delhi government on Thursday reversed an earlier order issued by it which said private labs will be reimbursed only if they use COVID-19 testing kits sold by a Pune-based biotech company, Mylab Discovery Solutions.
The fresh order states that the government will reimburse private labs irrespective of the coronavirus testing kits they use.
The order comes in connection with an April 14 directive spelling out different reimbursement rates for private labs testing samples.
The Indian Express had reported on May 2 that the order issued by Nursing Home Cell of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of Delhi government said private labs shall be paid from the COVID funds released by Government of India under National Health Mission at the following rates: if the sample is taken by the private lab and Mylab kit is provided by the private lab, the cost will be Rs 4,500; if the sample is taken by the government and Mylab kit is provided by private, the cost will be Rs 3,500; and if both sample and Mylab kit are provided by the government, the cost will be Rs 2,200.
The corrigendum passed Thursday has removed Mylab kit and instead replaced it with a “testing kit”.
Mylab managing director Hasmukh Rawal had earlier told The Indian Express that the company was unaware of any such order and did not have any such agreement with the Delhi government.
“I don’t think that should be there (naming Mylab in the order released by the Delhi government). It might be the case the government is procuring Mylab kits and giving them free of cost… Instead of Mylab kit, the order should have stated COVID-19 kit,” he had said.