COVID-19 tests should be free in both govt & private labs: Supreme Court

April 8: The Supreme Court has directed the central government to ensure that tests to detect covid-19 are provided free of charge to all Indians. In an interim order passed on Wednesday, the court said that the Centre should immediately direct all approved diagnostic laboratories, including state-owned and private facilities, to offer free testing.

The order was passed on a petition filed by advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi to implement free COVID-19 testing by private labs. While coronavirus tests are already free at government hospitals, private labs cannot be allowed to charge up to Rs 4,500 for the test in the middle of the ongoing crisis, the top court ruled in response to a Public Interest Litigation or PIL.

“We find prima facie substance in the submission of petitioner that at this time of national calamity permitting private Labs to charge Rs 4,500 for screening and confirmation test of COVID-19 may not be within means of a large part of population of this country and no person be deprived to undergo the COVID-19 test due to non- payment of capped amount of Rs 4,500,” the Supreme Court said. The apex court, however, said that it will consider later whether private laboratories are entitled to any reimbursement of expenses. The government has two weeks to file a response, the court said.