The Telangana government has finally agreed to allow private labs and hospitals to conduct tests for coronavirus and provide treatment, which was being done solely by the state since the pandemic began.
With this, private hospitals and labs that had obtained the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) approval can now conduct coronavirus tests for people reporting Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) symptoms.
“The test can be done as per doctor’s advice and only if the person has any symptoms. Tests shouldn’t be conducted if the person is asymptomatic,” Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender told reporters on Monday.
If a person tests positive and needs hospitalisation, hospitals will have to charge them as per the rates set by the government.
Meanwhile, the state government will continue to provide free testing and treatment for all those who cannot afford private hospitals, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar said.
Ten government labs and 18 private labs in the state have been cleared by ICMR to conduct tests. Here’s the full list, as published by ICMR.
Government
1. Kakatiya Medical College, Warangal
2. Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Adilabad
3. Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad
4. Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad
5. Sir Ronald Ross of Tropical & Communicable Diseases, Hyderabad (Fever Hospital)
6. Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad
7. ESIC Medical College, Hyderabad
8. CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad
9. Institute of Preventive Medicine, Hyderabad
10. Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad
Private
1. Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad and Secunderabad
2. Vijaya Diagnostic Centre Pvt. Ltd, Himayatnagar, Hyderabad
3. Vimta Labs Ltd., Cherlapally, Hyderabad
4. Dr. Remedies labs Private Limited, Punjagutta, Hyderabad
5. PATHCARE Labs Pvt. Ltd, Cheeryal, Hyderabad
6. American Institute of Pathology and Laboratory Sciences Private Limited, Nallgandla, Hyderabad
7. Medcis Pathlabs India Pvt.Ltd., Secunderabad
8. The Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yashoda Hospital, Secunderabad
9. Biognosys Technologies (India) Private Limited, Medchal, Hyderabad
10. Department of Laboratory Medicine, Star Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
11. Tenet Diagnostics, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
12. Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG), Gachibowli, Hyderabad
13. Cell Correct Diagnostics, Hyderabad
14. Virinchi Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
15. Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Department of Laboratory Services, Secunderabad
16. MapMyGenome India Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad
17. LEPRA Society-Blue Peter Public Health and Research Centre, Cherlapally, Hyderabad
18. Lucid Medical Diagnostics Pvt Ltd, Secunderabad
A COVID-19 test in a private hospital in Telangana will cost Rs 2,200 and treatment cost has been capped at between Rs 4,000 and Rs 9,000 a day.
“Treatment in general isolation ward will cost Rs 4,000 a day and Rs 7,500 for the intensive care unit (ICU) without ventilator. Those on ventilator can be charged Rs 9,000 per day,” the Health Minister said, adding that hospitals would be free to charge separately for anti-viral drugs administered to a patient.
Some anti-viral injections cost Rs 40,000-50,000, the Minister pointed out.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said private hospitals and labs could conduct coronavirus tests, a move which came a few days after the Telangana High Court asked the government to allow it for those who can afford it.
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IANS inputs