New Delhi: The Supreme Court took Friday note of the differences in COVID-19 testing charges in various states. It asked the Centre to decide on the issue, and said all states should set up panel of experts to inspect hospitals. This has to be done to ensure proper care the patients.
A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, SK Kaul and MR Shah, said they would pass the order later. It observed during the hearing that there should be uniformity in COVID-19 testing charge in all states. It indicated however that the court will not venture into the fixation of the charges. It will be taken care of by the Centre.
Meanwhile in a separate development a high-powered committee, set up by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has made some recommendations. The panel said the cost of COVID-19 isolation beds should be fixed. It said the range should be Rs 8,000-Rs 10,000 for ordinary beds while ICU beds with ventilator should be available at Rs 15,000-Rs 18,000 per day.
The committee, under the chairmanship of NITI Aayog member VK Paul, was constituted Sunday. It will ensure the availability of 60 per cent beds by private hospitals at lower rates and fix the rate of coronavirus testing and treatment.
“The committee has recommended Rs 8000-10000, 13000-15000 & 15000-18000 including PPE costs for isolation bed, ICUs without & with ventilator respectively to all hospitals as compared to the current charges of Rs 24000-25000, 34000-43000 & 44000-54000 (excluding PPE cost),” a Home Ministry spokesperson said in a tweet.
The spokesperson said the committee was set up by Shah to provide relief to the common man in the national capital. As per the directions given by the home minister, in a series of meetings chaired by him over last few days with regards to the COVID-19 situation in Delhi, house-to-house health survey in 242 containment zones of Delhi completed Thursday and a total of 2.3 lakh people were surveyed.
Shah also directed for increasing testing capacity and quick delivery of results in Delhi and testing through the rapid antigen testing methodology. It was started Thursday.
