Uttarakhand health department yet to decide final rates of diagnostic tests

While the deadline given by high court to prescribe the rate for various diagnostic tests in the state has already passed, the state government has not taken any step in that direction

While the deadline given by high court to prescribe the rate for various diagnostic tests in the state has already passed, the state government has not taken any step in that direction.

In its order, the HC had directed the state government to prescribe the rates for various diagnostic tests or procedures or surgeries or treatments extended by clinical establishments, within one month. The order was issued on August 14 but its copy was released on August 24.

Speaking on the matter, secretary of medical health and family welfare Nitesh Kumar Jha said, “The matter is under consideration at the highest-level. We are currently in the process of bringing another act in place instead of the clinical establishment act.”

A new act is being brought in the state as the private doctors of Uttarakhand had threatened to stop treating patients if the clinical establishment act was put into force in its current form.

“The rates of the tests in the government hospitals are already final. For the private establishments a decision will be taken after the framework of the new act is finalised,” Jha said.

However, health department officials of the state seem to be unaware about the matter. “We had also read in media reports regarding the high court’s order. But since we have still not received a copy of the order, we are not sure about the exact judgment and the directions given by the court,” director general of health Dr TC Pant said.