Over 1500 cases of swine flu have been detected in Delhi in 2015.
A day after NDTV reported on how tests for swine flu cost between Rs 3000 and Rs 9000 per test in Delhi's private labs, the Centre has taken note and the Delhi government has acted on it. Delhi's Health Minister Dr Satender Jain has now announced that the cost of swine flu tests in private labs will be capped at Rs 4500.
"No private lab can charge more tha Rs.4500 er test. If any lab is found in violation, action will be taken against them," said Mr Jain.
Earlier in the day, the director general of health sevices, Dr Jagdish Prasad, wrote to the Delhi government regarding complaints on overcharging by private labs.
Speaking to NDTV, Dr Navin Dang of Dr Dang's Lab said, "We welcome the decision of the government. We will follow it. We would give test results in just a few hours but we do expect it to impact the turnaround time and test results could take longer than earlier."
The Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the situation. More deaths have been reported from the worst impacted states like Rajasthan and Gujarat. Union Health Minister JP Nadda chaired a high-level meeting today and has said there is no shortage of mdicines.
An additional H1N1 wing has been started at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in Delhi. A new testing facility has also been set up at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). A round-the-clock monitoring cell is in operation at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Teams of experts from the Health Ministry have visited the states of Telangana, Gujarat and Rajasthan to extend technical support. Two such teams are being sent today to Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.
663 people have died so far this year and there are over 10000 swine flu cases across the country.