Many private labs refuse to cut dengue tests charges

The government rates for dengue and malaria tests have been implemented in the renowned private hospitals and private diagnostic laboratories in the city.

However, several laboratories in the city have defied the government’s half-price order in the air. Unknown private hospitals and diagnostic laboratories also made dengue and malaria a source of income. Official rates are not being implemented in most places in the city.

According to the details, dengue, malaria, and other epidemics have sounded the alarm in the city. Hundreds of patients are visiting hospitals complaining of fever, bone and muscle. In such a situation, medical experts suggested an immediate diagnosis of dengue and malaria. At the same time, continuous CBC is also required to assess the patient’s condition, due to which the inflation pressure was on the public.

The Sindh Healthcare Commission had decided the prices in a meeting with the management of private hospitals and laboratories. The fee for dengue NS1 antigen tests was Rs1,460 to Rs3,000, which has been reduced to Rs850. Platelet count test fee has been reduced from Rs430 and R.550 to Rs250, and the cost of the ICT malaria test from Rs1,300 to Rs500.

However, many private hospitals and diagnostic laboratories continue to disobey government orders to reduce the test fees. Official rates had been applied for the next three months from September 15. Some private hospitals and laboratories charge arbitrary prices for tests, and helpless citizens are forced to pay Rs4,000 for antigen tests which otherwise costs Rs850.

Meanwhile, Al-Khidmat Laboratories are conducting dengue and malaria tests at half of the official price. At the same time, implementation of the government rates has been started in some big hospitals and laboratories.

Conversely, the citizens have demanded that Sindh Government take action against the profit-making hospitals and laboratories. Citizens said that government should be visited some laboratories and review the price so that people could get relief.

Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) CEO Dr Ahsan Naqvi said that improving public healthcare is the priority of SHCC. “During Covid epidemic, SHCC had also reduced the price of PCR tests because a large number of people were being done that test,” he added. Dr Ahsan further said that due to the flood situation in the province, the city is in the grip of epidemic diseases, and medical experts are suggesting fever patients do dengue NS1, malaria ICT and CBC tests immediately. “To monitor patient condition, CBC has to do with the passage of few days, and due to the prices of these tickets, there was additional pressure on the public,” he said.

SHCC CEO said they did not bind private diagnostic laboratories but consulted the management through meetings. The cost of tests at reputed private laboratories in the city has come down.

He said there were chances that small private diagnostic laboratories in the city were not informed about the official rates, due to which they are charging an extra amount. Dr Ahsan said that SHCC had published a newspaper notice that the public could file complaints against the laboratories charging extra rates and contact SHCC through the website or helpline number. He said they had received such complaints, after which we have taken action and revised the prices.

Dr Ahsan said that they send teams on complaints, but the goal is not only to reduce the cost of tests but to improve health facilities.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2022.