Telangana caps fee of coronavirus treatment in private hospitals at Rs 9,000 per day, lab tests for COVID-19 at Rs 2,200

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Monday capped the cost of conducting a COVID-19 test in a private lab at Rs 2,200 and fee for treatment in private hospitals from Rs 4,000 to Rs 9000 per day, depending on the use of some equipment. Speaking to reporters, Health Minister E Rajender said the government has given the nod for private labs to do the tests.

"The fee for the test has been fixed at Rs 2,200. The charge for treatment of patients in ICU without ventilator support has been fixed at Rs 7,500 per day, while it would be Rs 9,000 per day for those who are on such support," he said. However, a government Order issued later said these charges do not cover certain tests and medicines. Since the cost of some anti-viral injections is in the range of Rs 40,000 Rs 50,000, such treatment can be charged separately, the minister said.

Representational Image. AP

He said private players have been asked not to entertain requests from those without symptoms wishing to get tested. The information related to tests and those undergoing treatment at private hospitals should be shared with the government as preventive measures, including tracing of contacts and others, need to be taken, he said. Rajender said the chief minister has allowed recruitment of healthcare personnel on a temporary basis, if necessary, to conduct a survey of every household in Hyderabad for Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infections (SARI), pneumonia cases and others.

The minister opined that Telangana is in a position to conduct about 7,500 tests per day. "People should utilise government healthcare facilities and if those who can pay, go to private hospitals, they can do so,", he said. The government has received requests from some people who want to choose hospitals in the private sector, Rajender said. Asked about the 50,000 tests proposed to be conducted in Hyderabad and adjoining areas as part of measures to contain the infection, he said they would be conducted free of cost in the next seven to 10 days. The government is ready to conduct more tests, if necessary, he said. Quoting ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research), Rajender said there is no community spread of the virus in Telangana.

The state has followed the guidelines of ICMR, he said. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar said there is no need to fear the virus and that Hyderabad is in a better position compared to other cities and states. The government, he said, has decided to increase the number of tests as misinformation, including in the social media, has been spread about testing in the state. The tests would be conducted for people with influenza- like symptoms, family members of those who tested positive and high-risk groups, including doctors and other healthcare personnel, police, government officials and media persons, he said.

The government on Sunday said it would conduct COVID-19 tests on 50,000 people in 30 assembly segments in the state capital and four adjoining districts which are witnessing a spike in new cases in a bid to contain the spread. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had instructed officials to conduct the tests in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Vikarabad, Medchal and Sangareddy districts over the next 10 days. Rao had also asked them to prepare guidelines for the private hospitals and laboratories to conduct COVID-19 tests, treatment and the cost by following the norms.

The order issued on the charges to be levied by private hospitals, said prices prescribed by the government does not include the cost of PPE, interventional procedures such as central line insertion, chemoport insertion, bronchoscopic procedures, biopsies, ascitic /pleural tapping. The rate also does not cover high-end drugs like immunoglobulins, meropenem and tocilizumab, as well as investigations such as CT scan or MRI it said.