Dept caps dengue test at Rs 600 in district

Tribune News Service

Patiala, August 20

Giving a cautionary advice to private hospitals and labs in district, the Health Department has capped the price of dengue confirmatory test. Any violation of the advisory by private labs and hospitals would invite action, said the Health department.

Private hospitals and labs, which have ELISA test facilities, should not charge more than Rs 600. Labs and hospitals, which do not have the ELISA test facility, can send blood samples to government labs for free-of-cost dengue test. — Dr Sumeet Singh, District Epidemiologist

It has been learnt that some private labs and hospitals in the district have been overcharging patients for dengue tests.

The advisory to private hospital and labs reads: “Hospitals and laboratories in private sector should not charge more than Rs 600 per test, which is conducted for the confirmation of dengue.”

Private hospitals have also been asked that they could collect samples and send these to government labs for free confirmatory tests.

Currently, the Health Department has been conducting dengue tests for free at four centres, including Government Rajindra Hospital, Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital, Civil Hospital, Nabha, and Civil Hospital, Rajpura.

Dr Sumeet Singh, district epidemiologist, said the district, during current season, had reported 17 cases of dengue so far. He added that they had already conducted at least 993 dengue tests in district. “Private hospitals and labs, which have the ELISA test facility, should not charge more than Rs 600. Labs and hospitals, which do not have the ELISA test facility, can send blood samples to government labs for free of cost dengue test,” he said. “The dengue situation, as of now, was under control. However, it could go out of hand if cases continued to rise,” he added.

Meanwhile, the department cautioned private hospitals not to admit dengue patients if not necessary. Some private hospitals, obviously to make extra buck, tricked patients for hospitalisation.