After the onset of monsoon, various epidemic diseases are on the rise and outbreaks of epidemic diseases are ending up at private pathology labs. The state government has fixed the rates of testing for epidemic diseases. However, pathology labs in the state are charging extra rates for tests and due to this, patients are being cheated. Meanwhile, there is a growing demand to control pathology labs that charge patients double the amount for medical tests.
Citizens of the state including Mumbai are suffering due to outbreak of epidemic diseases. These patients are tested in many private pathology labs in different parts of the state. But more than the fixed fee is being charged for the tests. The health department has fixed rates of INR 600 for dengue test and INR 350 to INR 5000 for swine flu test. But arbitrary management is going on in private pathology labs and more money is being extorted from the patients. Patients have to pay extra to get a blood test report urgently. Double fee is being charged for home blood test facility.
The public health department has directed the private pathology labs on September 28, 2016 not to charge more than INR 600 each for dengue test in order to stop the financial exploitation of the patients by the private pathology labs. But these instructions are being widely violated by private pathology labs.
The state government issued instructions regarding the fees for the tests. But the government has not set up a mechanism to implement them and check whether the tests are being conducted properly or not. Pathology labs must be registered by the government to conduct tests properly. Till this registration is not done, it is impossible to control the tests conducted by the lab and their fees, said the executive member of Maharashtra Association of Practising Pathologists and Microbiologists. Prasad Kulkarni.
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