Plan to make tests free in govt hospitals

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 24

The Department of Health and Family Welfare is contemplating bringing the proposal for making mandatory diagnostic tests free in government hospitals in the next Cabinet meeting. Though the proposal was first mooted by the previous government but it failed to take-off on the issue of reimbursing the state for the free facility.

Now once again, under the new BJP government the proposal is being prepared. “We aim to provide mandatory diagnostic tests such as blood count tests, basic bio chemistry tests, X-ray to BPL and non BPL patients in government hospitals,” said Om Prakash, Additional Chief Secretary (Department of Health and Family Welfare). He said the proposal would be brought before the Cabinet for approval. Expensive imaging tests such as MRI and CT scan will not be free, he added.