The government has decided to cap the rate of COVID-19 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test at Rs 2,400 with the J&K UT witnessing an alarming spurt in coronavirus cases.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (3 of 1897), the Lieutenant Governor of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir hereby directs that no private laboratory should charge any amount more than Rs 2400 for RT-PCR Test for COVID-19 inclusive of GST/Taxes, if any, cost involved in pickup,
packing and transportation of samples, documentation and reporting in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” reads the SO 239 notification issued by Atal Dulloo, Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department, J&K.
“All the testing protocols as laid down by ICMR and the Government of India from time to time shall be followed by the Private Laboratories and it shall share the data pertaining to the results of these tests for COVID-19 with the Government and ICMR on a real time basis through ICMR portal,” the order stated and added, “At the time of sampling, the identification, address and verified mobile number of the person, who is being tested, must be noted for record, as per sample referral form (SRF). The data should be uploaded on the RT-PCR app at the time of taking the sample.” The test report should be communicated to the patient immediately, it further stated and added, “A positive test report should be immediately communicated to Chief Medical Officer of the concerned District through email.”
“All the private National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and ICMR approved laboratories are instructed that information of the patient should be maintained with utmost confidentiality and all the COVID-19 private testing laboratories must preserve the RT-PCR machine generated data for future verification by the Government,” reads the order.
The private Laboratories are also instructed to display rates in visible manner, it added.