Healthcare body told to fix Covid test rates
The provincial healthcare commission has been directed to consult private sector laboratories and fix a universal rate for novel coronavirus (Covid-19) and dengue virus tests to provide relief to the public.
This was directed on Friday by a two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), led by Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan, as it heard a contempt of court case filed by Muhibullah Kakakhel. The lawyer had listed the healthcare commission chief executive, the health department’s director-general and health secretary as respondents.
The petitioner argued that the court had previously directed the commission to fix a unified fee structure for all private hospitals, laboratories and clinics in the province for dengue virus tests. However, he contended that the commission had failed to implement the court’s directives and private sector health facilities continue to charge different rates for tests.
Justice Qasier remarked that they had directed the commission to regulate the private sector, but they failed to implement the directives.
He further said that the court never wanted to set back any section of the private healthcare system in the province.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2020.