Assam to charge patients for cabins, quick RT-PCR results

GUWAHATI: The sustained outflow of funds from the coffers for Covid-19 management for five months now has forced the Assam government to bring some free services under chargeable domain. However, life-saving drugs will continue to be provided free of cost.
“From now, we will be charging for the paid cabins in government hospitals. Also, we will no longer provide any ambulance to carry recovered patients from hospitals to their homes within the district. These discharged people will have to manage on their own since they are no longer patients,” health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
He added, “If someone wants his or her RT-PCR test result within 24 hours, from now on we will be charging Rs 2200 for that.”
All Covid-19 tests by RT-PCR are free and will remain to be free for other people who do not have the urgent need for the results within 24 hours. The rapid antigen tests will continue to be done without any charge.
Government hospitals will charge Rs 6,000 for plasma kits if anyone in private hospitals requires plasma, Sarma said. “But we will not charge anything for the medicines that need to be given to a Covid-19 patients. We will continue to provide them for free,” he added.
The minister said, “We are taking these steps because the huge expenditure is taking a toll. The big question is for how long we can continue to provide free services.”