Coronavirus Test Must Be Free in Private Labs and Government Labs: Supreme Court
April 8, 2020: In a major relief to people and showing urgency, the Supreme Court today ordered the central government to issue instructions to approved government and private labs to conduct Coronavirus COVID19 test free of cost.
The court order states, “The tests relating to COVID-19 whether in approved Government Laboratories or approved private Laboratories shall be free of cost. The respondents (government) shall issue necessary direction in this regard immediately. Tests relating to COVID-19 must be carried out in NABL accredited Labs or any agencies approved by WHO or ICMR.”
Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Ravindra Bhat, who issued the order, has given two weeks’ time to the union government to file their reply. The order was issued today while hearing public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi on March 31.
The detailed order states, “The PIL has sought a direction to the government for ensuring to provide free of cost testing facility of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) by all testing Labs whether private or Government. The petitioner has also challenged the Advisory dated 17.03.2020 issued by Indian Council of Medical Research Department of Health Research, insofar as it fixed Rs.4500 for screening and confirming COVID-19. The petitioner also prays that a direction be issued that all the tests relating to COVID-19 must be carried out under NABL accredited Labs or any agencies approved by WHO or ICMR.
Even before the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by WHO on 11.03.2020, it had spread in several countries. As of now, more than 200 countries are suffering from this pandemic. The number of patients suffering from COVID-19 is rapidly increasing Worldwide with death toll rising rapidly. In our country, in spite of various measures taken by the Government of India and different State Government/Union Territory the number of patients and death caused by it is increasing day by day. Our country has a very large population.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research has notified the details of operative Government Laboratories and Private Laboratories to test COVID-19.
We find prima facie substance in the submission of petitioner that at this time of national calamity permitting private Labs to charge Rs.4500 for screening and confirmation test of COVID-19 may not be within eans of a large part of population of this country and no person be deprived to undergo the COVID-19 test due to nonpayment of capped amount of Rs.4500. It is submitted before us that insofar as government Laboratories are concerned the COVID-19 test is conducted free of cost.
The private Hospitals including Laboratories have an important role to play in containing the scale of pandemic by extending philanthropic services in the hour of national crisis. We thus are satisfied that the petitioner has made out a case for issuing a direction to the respondents to issue necessary direction to accredited private Labs to conduct free of cost COVID-19 test. The question as to whether the private Laboratories carrying free of cost COVID-19 tests are entitled for any reimbursement of expenses incurred shall be considered later on. We further are of the view that tests relating to COVID-19 must be carried out in NABL accredited Labs or any agencies approved by ICMR.”
