Staff Reporter :
The government has fixed fees for the coronavirus tests at government hospitals and booths, which had been available free of cost till date.
The Health Services Department of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a notification in this regard on Sunday (June 29) It said the fees were fixed to avoid “unnecessary corona tests and ensure proper infection control and management.
As per the notification, Tk 200 will have to be paid from now on for the coronavirus test at government hospitals and booths while the fee will be Tk 500 if the sample is collected from home.
A number of officials say the government took the initiative to fix fees for the coronavirus tests as Bangladesh cannot afford to provide free test facilities for long.
Besides, many people undergo test out of suspicions although they have no any symptoms, wasting huge money.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also gave her consent to this end, said sources concerned.
The costly coronavirus test is being misused for being conducted freely.
The free coronavirus test at RT-PCR laboratories began in the country on January 21. Initially, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research used to carry out tests.
Later, different government medical college hospitals, other organisations and private hospitals started carrying out tests following a rise in coronavirus transmission.
Currently, tests are being conducted at 68 labs across the country. As of Sunday, 733,197 tests have been carried out when 137,787 people came out positive for the virus.
It costs Tk 3,500 for coronavirus test at a private lab.
