Reza Mahmud :
Health Minister on Wednesday announced to reduce coronavirus test fees fifty per cent in view of the alarming fall of sample tests after introduction of fees.
To this, public health experts said, it will not be fruitful. They urged the government to make tests free of cost. If is very much necessary to contain spreading of the fatal virus in the country.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Wednesday told journalists that the government had reduced coronavirus test fees by 50 per cent from Tk 200 to Tk 100 for state-run facilities.
He said also that fee for sample collection from home will be Tk 300 instead of Tk 500 previously in government hospitals.
Showing the reasons behind the decision, the Minister said, “Many people from the low-income group could not afford the original fees and felt discouraged from undergoing the test.”
He said, “We hope that it will encourage an increase in the number of tests. We always want there more testing so that the people who are infected can be identified.”The Minister said also, “But the amount of testing did not rise as we had hoped, because of the costs.”
Public health experts are agreeing with the Minister’s view of reasons behind fall of the number of tests, but disagrees the government’s measures which have been taken to meet it.
“It is very high time to identify and isolate all coronavirus patients so that the spreading of the disease can be stopped quickly,” Professor Dr. Nazrul Islam, former Vice-Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) told The New Nation.
Still the rural people and low income group of cities and towns will not feel to go to covid test centers.
He suggested to keep the fee of Tk 300 for collecting samples from home, but urged full free of tests standing in lines as the low income group people rush there.
The professor also suggests to increase the number of testing centers across the country so that the people do not be discourage by long time waiting.
Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Huq, former Advisor of World Health Organisation (WHO) told The New Nation, “cost reduction of Covid test will not have any impact. Rather the government should encourage people to test free.”
He said all covid patients have to identify very soon to contain spreading of the fatal disease.
Professor Muzaheul Huq said also, “Moreover local social and political leaders should try to motivate people for test and also help authority to identify suspects who came in contact as well as those will have influenza like or Covid like symptoms.”
