*It will help in maintaining rate uniformity, provide facilities at doorstep: Prez Dhar*
Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Jan 19 (KNO): Amid the surge in Covid-19 cases in Jammu and Kashmir, President Private Diagnostic Centres Association (PDCA) on Wednesday urged authorities to allow all private diagnostic centers in Jammu and Kashmir to conduct rapid antigen and RT-PCR tests.
President of PDCA Umar Dhar while talking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that they are regularly receiving complaints that some private diagnostic centres, hospitals who have been allowed to conduct tests are charging different rates.
Dhar said that they are also receiving complaints that some centres are conducting RAT only but are charging rates as per RT-PCR tests which is neither acceptable nor warranted under pandemic situations.
He added that as positivity rates are increasing with each passing day and people are getting reports of tests very late, in such conditions the government must allow all private diagnostic centres to conduct RAT and RT-PCR.
Dhar said that the government must publish rates for such tests so that rate uniformity will be maintained and action will be taken against anyone who will be charging more.
“Such move will help in providing all facilities to the public at door stop at affordable rates besides that it will crush the highhandedness of private hospitals who are charging more,” he said.
"I would request the authorities at the helm of affairs to grant approval to our suggestion to have uniformity of rates and allow testing hassle free at door steps," Dhar said—(KNO)
