हिंदी
- Private labs cannot charge more than the prescribed rates-Health Minister
Chandigarh, September 2: The Punjab Government has reduced the rates of COVID-19 tests to facilitate the common people. Now even private labs would not be able to charge more than the rates fixed by the government.
Disclosing this here today Health Minister Punjab Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that that the government has fixed a maximum of Rs 2400 for RT-PCR test and reduced Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) from Rs 1000 to Rs 700 inclusive of GST and other taxes. Whereas it has been left for the private labs to fix rates for collection of samples from houses, ICMR approved 45 private labs are doing COVID-19 testing in the state. The Minister further said that apart from this 600 government hospitals in the state are doing free COVID-19 testing.
The Health Minister said that due to the unfortunate situation caused due to Covid-19, all of us need to cooperate to tackle this situation. He said that to prevent this disease, it is important to identify the infection at an early stage. He also said that despite the symptoms, people inform health institutions late therefore tests get delayed and this is the main reason for the deaths due to COVID-19.
Health and Family Welfare Minister has also informed that doctor’s slip is not required for the suspected patients to get their test done and one who comes positive can get isolated in their houses. Anyone who has minor symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, tiredness, loss of taste and smell, runny nose, etc or have come in contact with the Covid-19 patient, must get Covid-19 test done.
