COVID-19: Apex Court suggests Govt to prevent Pvt Labs from charging exorbitant fees, reimbursement of fees charged by Labs

On Wednesday, Supreme Court suggested that Centre should create a mechanism wherein private laboratories conducting COVID-19 tests do not charge exorbitant fees from public and government should reimburse the fees charged by Labs.

Apex Court Bench comprising of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Justice Ravindra Bhat was told by Central Government that earlier 15,000 tests were conducted per day by 118 labs and later to enhance the capacity, 47 private labs were allowed to conduct the COVID-19 tests.

SC Bench was hearing a plea filed by Advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi seeking a direction to Centre and Authorities to provide free of cost testing facility for COVID-19 to all citizens in India.

Sudhi submitted before the Bench that there should be free testing of COVID-19 by labs in the country as it is expensive.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, stated that it is a developing situation and government at this juncture does not know how many laboratories will be needed and how long the ongoing lockdown will continue.

To this, SC bench suggested that Centre should ensure that private laboratories do not charge high amount and government should create a mechanism for reimbursement of the fees charges for the tests.

Tushar Mehta stated that he would like to take instructions on this front after which the bench said it would pass orders in the matter.

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