UP: Can’t conduct Covid tests at Rs 1,600, say pathologies

LUCKNOW: Private pathologies engaged in Covid-19 testing in UP have urged the government to reconsider its decision to revise the cost of tests from Rs 2,500 to Rs 1,600.
Claiming that the labs will not be able to bring down the cost of testing in view of overhead expenses, a group of pathologies made an official representation to additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad on Saturday.
Though the matter has been taken up by senior officials, a decision is yet to be taken. Sources said the government is exploring all available options.
On Thursday, the government had announced slashing of the cost of Covid-19 tests at private labs. Officials said the move came after the reduction in the cost of reagents required to undertake tests.
Issuing relevant orders, Prasad had said the new rates would come into immediate effect and added that overcharging would be considered a violation of the Epidemic Act.
However, private pathology owners in their representation to Prasad said the ‘cheaper reagents’ were still not available in the market. They also expressed resentment over the sudden issuance of the order without any consultation with private pathology owners.
“We were not given any time to voice our concern. The authorities did not give us any time to prepare for the transition,” said a pathology owner.
Another representative said that the new price would not even cover their expenditure.
“We have urged the authorities to also consider our overhead expenses like home collection, engaging data entry operators and wastage costs that go in conducting urgent tests,” a Covid-19 coordinator at a private lab said.
One of the signatories of the letter to the government, Dr Bandana Mehrotra, said the rate revision was done without prior information, hence all testing had to be stopped to find out if labs can adjust to the new rates because raw material - regents and testing kits - at cheaper rates are not available.