PVT COVID-19 TESTS CAPPED AT RS 2,400
Rapid antigen testing to begin at 169 centres today
NEW DELHI: After an intensive COVID-19 review meeting between Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, LG Anil Baijal and Union Home Minister Amit Shah where it was jointly decided to triple testing numbers in Delhi, the Ministry of Home Affairs has now capped private testing in the Capital at Rs 2,400 per test, down from the Rs 4,500 cap agreed upon by the Indian Council of Medical Research a few months ago. The ministry, in a statement, said that the price point for RT-PCR tests in Delhi was suggested by a high-level committee set up by the home minister on Sunday and now tests will also be done via Rapid Antigen methodology from June 18, as approved by the ICMR. The MHA has said that Delhi will be given priority for these rapid antigen kits and 169 centres had also been set up across the national Capital for conducting these tests, the spokesperson added.
An MHA spokesperson said that to improve contact mapping in Delhi’s containment zones, health surveys have been started on Shah’s directions, and out of a population of 2,30,466 people in 242 containment zones, 1,77,692 people had been surveyed between June 15 and 16 and the remaining would be covered by June 20. “16,618 test samples collected on June 15 and 16 (till 14th June daily collection varied between 4000-4500). Reports of 6,510 tests received so far, remaining to be received by 18th June,” the MHA spokesperson tweeted.
After the meeting with Delhi government officials, a committee was constituted under the chairmanship of V K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, to ensure that 60 per cent beds are available at private hospitals at lower rates. Following the meeting, the Delhi government was authorised to notify subsidised private COVID-19 treatment rates.
While the Delhi Disaster Management Authority was supposed to take up this issue on Tuesday’s meeting, the key meet was postponed after Health Minister Satyendar Jain took ill and was hospitalised. He later tested positive for COVID-19. This same committee chaired by Dr Paul was also to decide on cheaper testing rates, based on whose recommendations, the new testing rates have been prescribed.