The Sindh government has directed all private sector hospitals and laboratories in Sindh, conducting Covid RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen tests, to reduce the rates.
Currently the maximum cost allowed for RT-PCR is Rs6,500 which was fixed in July 2020. The revised maximum cost of RT-PCR test has been fixed at Rs4,500 and Rs4,800 for sample collected from home.
The rate of Rapid Antigen Test has also been fixed at Rs1, 200 against the previous maximum rate of Rs1,500 to Rs3,000.
The Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) CEO Dr Ahson Qavi Siddiqi has directed all private sector hospitals and laboratories conducting Covid RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen tests in Sindh to reduce the rates of both tests, said a notification.
In exercise of powers vested via the SHCC Act 2013 Section 40(2Xm) “The Regulation and Control of Prices of the Healthcare Services” and in the larger public interest, the commission after deliberation with key stakeholders including diagnostic laboratories and hospitals conducting Covid 19 PCR tests, hereby revises the previously advertised ceiling cost with immediate effect, the notification read.
The operational costs of conducting the test are greatly reduced and this benefit must pass on to the patients in larger public interest, Dr Siddiqui said in the notification endorsed by the Sindh Health Minister Azra Fazal Pechuho.
The notification said that the Covid test charges were fixed after discussion with representatives of key stakeholder hospitals and labs working in a meeting held in Karachi on February 2.
The summary of revised rate was also discussed with Minister of Health who supported and has endorsed the move to benefit the masses.
The notification said that in order to ensure compliance of the aforesaid cost, all private hospitals, laboratories and associated collection centers shall be visited by the authorised officers of SHCC from time to time. Non-compliance shall entail penal consequences which may include inter-alia warning, fine, deregistration, suspension of service or sealing of premises.
In case of non-compliance, the public reserves the right to lodge complaints with the SHCC, which will be investigated as per the terms and conditions of the SHCC ACT 2013.
All other standards required for Covid PCR testing must continue to be maintained and quality of tests must be assured for reliable results.
