Private labs overcharge people seeking COVID-19 test

CUTTACK: If incompetence of the Cuttack Municipal Corporation in the timely provision of Covid-19 test reports was not enough for people of the millennium city to deal with, private clinics have started exploiting them by overcharging for tests.

The State Government had allowed private hospitals, nursing homes and laboratories to conduct rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests but regulated the cost. The facilities can charge a maximum of Rs 450 for rapid antigen test while the price for RT-PCR test is fixed at Rs 1,200 per test. But in the absence of any monitoring, the private facilities are charging high for the tests.

A 55-year-old man of Pradhan Sahi in Choudwar who had come in contact with a positive patient wanted to get himself tested at a private facility in the city on September 14. While searching for a private lab conducting the tests, he came across a broker who took him to a private diagnostic centre at Mangalabag. The staff there informed him that the clinic had exhausted the RT-PCR test kit and he can opt for a rapid antigen test. When the man wanted to know the cost, he was told that RT-PCR would have cost him Rs 2,200 while rapid antigen can be done for Rs 1,200.

With no other option, the man underwent a rapid antigen test and paid the amount. “Though the private diagnostic center provided me the test report wherein I was tested positive, it refused to give me the money receipt,” alleged the man. When he questioned the price rise, he was told that the rapid antigen kit costs Rs 450 and the remaining amount was towards PPE kit and lab technicians and clinic charges for pharyngeal swab collection and testing. 

“The district administration and CMC should publicize the list of the private clinical establishments conducting the COVID test and cost of the test” said the patient.As per reports, as many as 18 private clinical establishments in and around the city so far have been permitted to conduct only rapid antigen test. However, the private facilities are violating the guidelines issued by the Health and Family Welfare department and charging more for the tests. Similarly, the manpower deployed for rapid antigen test at most of the private facilities is not trained properly. 

In-Charge CDM&PHO Dr Umesh Ray said charging more than the Government prescribed rate can invite legal action. Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani said he would initiate necessary action if a written complaint is provided to him against the lab. 

Cuttack tally climbs up to 14,500
Cuttack: The district on Thursday registered 389 fresh cases taking the tally to 14,500. The new cases include highest 257 cases from Cuttack Municipal Corporation(CMC) area and the rest 132 from rural parts of the district. Of the 257 cases detected in CMC area, while 81 have been reported from institutional quarantine and 45 from home quarantine, the rest 131 local contact cases were detected from 48 localities with Nayabazar witnessing highest 13 positive cases. As on Thursday, the total number of positive cases in CMC area stands at 8,720 with 2,284 active cases. As many as 6,400 patients have recovered while the disease has claimed 36 lives so far in CMC area. Similarly, of the 132 cases detected from rural areas, the highest 29 cases have been reported from Sadar block. The rest include each 17 cases from Salepur and Mahanga, 11 cases each  from Choudwar and Nischintakoili and 10 cases each from Athagarh and Niali blocks.