Private Labs under scanner as govt fixe prices for tests

27 engaged in faculty at GMCs Jammu, Baramulla

Jammu: Tightening noose against the private pathology laboratories, Jammu and Kashmir Government has fixed rates for various COVID-19 tests thus putting these units under scanner for minting money of their choice.
Official sources in the Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Department here told ‘The News Now’ that the government acting on various complaints and concerns highlighted time to time from different quarters, finally fixed charges for various COVID-19 tests.
Sources said as per the order issued by the Finance Commissioner (Health and Medical Education) Atal Dulloo said that the Lieutenant Governor have directed that the fixed amount shall be charged for various COVID-19 tests across the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir as per the Notification issued, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 (3 of 1897) and in supersession of notification S.0 239.
However, the Private laboratories have also been directed to adhere to the conditions issued by the government, said an official.
As per the order, for RT- PCR test, no private laboratory should charge any amount more than Rs 1600/- inclusive of GST/Taxes if any, cost involved in pickup, packing and transportation of samples, documentation and reporting.
For TrueNat Test, no private laboratory should charge any amount more than Rs 2000/- inclusive of GST/Taxes if any, cost involved in pickup, packing and transportation of samples, documentation and reporting and for Cbnaat test, no private laboratory should charge any amount more than Rs 2400/- 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.
Meanwhile the order further read that the Private laboratories shall also adhere to the conditions that 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.
The Private Laboratories 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.
At the time of sampling, the identification, address and verified mobile number of the person, who is being tested, must be d 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 while the test report should be communicated to the patient immediately.
A positive test report should be immediately communicated to the Chief Medical Officer of the concerned District through email and 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.
However, all the COVID-19 private testing laboratories must preserve the RT-PCR machine generated data for future verification by the Government and the private Laboratories are also instructed to display rates in visible manner, read an order.
Meanwhile in a separate order, Department of Health and Medical Education also engaged 25 candidates on faculty posts in various disciplines on academic arrangements basis in Government Medical College, Jammu and it's Super Specialty Hospital.
As per Government order 843-JK (HME) of 2020, issued by the Finance Commissioner (Health and Medical Education) Atal Dulloo, three Assistant Professors have been appointed in Radio Diagnosis, Ophthalmology and Pharmacology.
Moreover, 22 Lecturers have been engaged in the discipline of Medicine, Anesthesiology, Orthopedics, Medical Gastroentology, Neuro Anesthesia, ENT, Dermatology, Bio-Chemistry, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Radio Therapy, Cardiology, Neurology and CVTS.
In separate orders, the Department has also engaged Dr Asif Majid Wani of Bargam, Tral as Assistant Professor in the discipline of Radio Diagnosis in Government Medical College, Baramulla on academic arrangement basis while Dr Ghulam Nabi Yatoo of Bandipora, Chadoora, Budgam has been engaged as Professor in the discipline of Medicine in Government Medical College, Baramulla.
Updated On 10/30/2020 11:08:15 AM