Make Covid tests free, SC tells govt
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court asked the central government on Wednesday to ensure that testing facility for Covid-19 is made available free of cost to all citizens.
At present, private laboratories are allowed to charge people to test for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), though the same is capped at ~4,500.
A bench of justices Ashok Bhushan and S Ravindra Bhat asked the government to explore the feasibility of a mechanism to reimburse private labs for coronavirus tests so that citizens don’t have to pay for it.
“Don’t allow private labs to charge high amount for tests. Create mechanism for reimbursement (of private labs) from government,” justice Bhushan suggested.
Solicitor general Tushar
Mehta, representing the central government, told the court that he will take instructions in this regard.
Private labs have been roped in India to conduct tests for Covid-19 since government facilities are not sufficient in the face of increasing case counts. According to the Union health ministry website, India reported 5,194 cases and 149 fatalities as of Wednesday afternoon.
The petitioner, advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi, submitted that government hospitals are packed to capacity and it has become difficult for the common man to get himself/herself tested in the government labs.
With no alternative in sight, they are forced to pay money to get the tests done at private labs, the petitioner said, adding that saddling ordinary citizens with such financial burden effectively deprives them of their accessibility to medical facilities and is violative of right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
In a related development, the Supreme Court, while hearing three petitions seeking protective kits for doctors and healthcare workers amid the coronavirus pandemic, said doctors and healthcare professionals are “warriors” in the fight against Covidf-19 and have to be protected, even as the Centre assured that it is doing its best by providing them personal protective equipment (PPE) and other facilities. The top court suggested that the government should create a mechanism to solicit suggestions from people about how to go ahead on the issues related to the virus, including on providing treatment, regulatory mechanism for people working from home and also on lockdown.
The two-judge bench of justice
Bhushan and justice Bhat was informed by the Centre that PPE kits and other requisite things are being arranged and it is taking steps in this regard.
The solicitor general told the bench that doctors and healthcare professionals are “corona warriors” and government is ensuring their protection and safety along with their family members. Mehta said the Centre has a central control room which has officials from ministries of health, home and Ayush. He said such control rooms are also there at state level and they are dealing with calls having suggestions and complaints.
“They (doctors and healthcare professionals) are warriors. They have to be protected,” the bench observed, adding, “You have to think how to start production. Service sector is working from home. Their well being and mental health is also important”.