While the Supreme Court has earlier (Apr 8th) passed an order that the coronavirus test will be free for all the citizens of the country as the country is facing the worst pandemic. But with few petitions challenging its order, on Monday the SC has issued a fresh order saying that COVID-19 test will be free only for poor people while others have to pay.
Earlier SC has fumed against collecting Rs 4500 for Coronavirus determination tests by private labs and hospitals and asked the government to look into passing an order that makes the test free. But with challengers of the order claiming that the test is being charged Rs 32,000 in the United Kingdom, and private labs will be unnecessarily burdened if tests are done for free, SC agreed with them. Now, only those who have governments Ayush ID cards will get the test done for free.
One wonders why India could not implement a South Korean model where testing is done for free for everyone, and the country successfully stopped the spread of the virus.
