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Updated March 31st, 2020 at 22:46 IST

COVID-19: Plea in SC seeks free testing at private, govt labs amid surge in cases

A petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking directions to the Central government and others to provide free of cost COVID-19 testing facility

Reported by: Prachi Mankani
COVID-19
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As India witnessed a surge in cases of coronavirus, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking directions to the Central government and others to provide free of cost COVID-19 testing facility to all citizens at private and government labs. The petition filed by advocate Shashank Deo Sudhi sought an urgent hearing in the matter.

The petition sought directions to all the respondents, including the Union of India (UOO), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and others for ramping up the testing facilities of COVID-19 at the earliest given the increasing mortality and morbidity rate across the country.

The plea also sought directions to declare advisory of March 17, issued by the ICMR as being arbitrary and unconstitutional violating article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India discriminating the accessibility of testing facilities for COVID-19 in the health crisis.

READ: COVID-19: MHA reveals '2137 Markaz attendees quarantined across India'; 1746 in Nizamuddin

All COVID conducted under NABL accredited pathological laboratories

Furthermore, the plea sought directions to ensure that all tests relating to COVID-19 must be conducted under NABL accredited pathological laboratories as the non-accredited labs are not conforming to the global standards, being practiced by international laboratory accreditation co-operation (ILAC) and Asia pacific accreditation co-operation (APAC).

Sudhi, in his petition, also sought directions to proclaim an order for the urgent resumption of duties of all private hospitals including its doctors and paramedical staffs in order to effectively fight against the pandemic.

"The government of our country is completely caught in a dilemma and is forced to take an irrational decision of arbitrary capping in respect of the testing facility for COVID-19 in private hospital/laboratories at the rate of Rs 4,500. This decision of the respondent is extremely sad and unfortunate," the petition said.

READ: Kejriwal lashes out at 'irresponsible' Markaz organisers: '441 symptomatic, 1107 isolated'

Meanwhile, The Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 has risen to 32 and the number of total Coronavirus cases to 1,251 as on Tuesday. There are 1117 active cases in the country with the state of Kerala contributing the highest number of cases which stands at 202.

READ: Coronavirus LIVE Updates: Over 300 hospitalised over Nizamuddin event; total cases at 1251

READ: Timeline of how Nizamuddin Markaz led to becoming Delhi's potential COVID-19 hotspot

(With Inputs from ANI)

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Published March 31st, 2020 at 22:46 IST

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