SDMC to cut cost of chikungunya, dengue lab tests

◗ Mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat said SDMC has decided to charge 299 ` for dengue test and 399 for ` chikungunya test

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to reduce the cost of dengue and chikungunya diagnostic tests undertaken at its healthcare facilities, officials said on Wednesday.

Both the tests currently cost ` 600, as per the capping done by the Delhi government.

South Delhi mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat, at a press conference held at the Civic Centre said, the SDMC has decided to charge ` 299 for dengue test and ` 399 for chikungunya test.

“Also, the corporation has ordered for 900 test kits, in the first phase from the National Institute of Virology, Pune. We had ordered 600 kits last year. With one kit 96 people can be tested for the symptoms of vectorborne diseases,” she said.

A senior official said the new rates would apply from the next financial year, maybe 20 days or so from now.

At least nine cases of dengue have been reported in Delhi in the first two months this year, indicating early spread of the virus carrying the vectorborne disease in the national capital.

The SDMC also announced several initiative to control vector borne disease, including spraying of “alpha cyper methene” for warding off mosquitoes. The SDMC also announced to provide cashless insurance health facilities to its employees.

The SDMC mayor said that the corporation has taken action for prevention and control of vector borne disease much early this year.

“This spray is capable of eliminating breeding of mosquitoes continuously during three months. Under the first phase, it will be completed from May to June, whereas the second phase will be from July to August,” it said.

The spray will be especially concentrated in JJ and rehabilitation colonies.

The mayor also said the SDMC will take up testing with the help of Elisa diagnosis kit on a large scale this year.

The corporation has also come up with a special school diary wherein observance of cleanliness habits has been shown pictorially to follow.