The Delhi Health Ministry on Saturday issued show-cause notice to two private laboratories for allegedly charging more than the upper limit of Rs4,500, fixed by the State Government for a swine flu test. The Delhi Government had on Wednesday issued guidelines stating that no laboratory was to charge more than Rs4,500 for a test and subsequently even put up notices outside most labs. However, on Friday night, after Health Minister Satyendra Jain ordered surprise checks, two labs were found overcharging.
These two laboratories have been asked to state reasons as to why their licences should not be cancelled for “cheating the people in distress by failing to comply with the specified norms”. Jain ordered surprise checks after a media channel broadcasted that some private labs continued to overcharge for the H1N1 tests despite a government directive.
Jain later thanked the media channel for reporting the same. A health ministry team including an additional director and a nodal officer (H1N1) from the Directorate of Health Services conducted surprise late night checks, which continued past the midnight. The two laboratories found guilty were Healthcare Diagnostics at Yusuf Sarai and Global Diagnostics at Hari Nagar.
While the tests were on, the government officials revealed that other laboratories like Dr Dang’s lab and SRl Path lab had not overcharged for the tests. The Government also stated that these two laboratories have not been accredited by the State Government for conducting the H1N1 tests. “We appeal to the people of Delhi not to panic since effective measures are in place and the situation is under control. There is sufficient stock of medicines in government hospitals and approved chemist shops. People should try and get their tests done free of cost in government hospitals and there is no cause for panic,” said officials from the health department.