CHITWAN, SEPTEMBER 19

BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital has been charging additional fee on PCR test for Coronavirus, in violation of the directives issued by the Ministry of Health and Population.

The MoHP has updated the PCR test fee to Rs 2,000 for both government and private laboratories.

However, the hospital has been charging an additional Rs 500 in the name of sample collection.

Deputy Director of the hospital Dr Krishna Sagar Sharma said the fee was decided by the hospital board of directors, which could not be overruled.

Sharma said that a new tender has been called for reagents, which could prompt the board of directors to decrease the fee if the purchase value is lower compared to the past.

Chief of MoHP, Policy Planning and Monitoring Division Dr Gunaraj Lohani said nobody could charge more than Rs 2,000 for PCR test.

Any one violating the government directives would face legal action, according to Lohani.

Chief District Officer Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said he had no information about the hospital charging extra fee. PCR test is provided free of cost at Bharatpur Hospital under the standards set by MoHP.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 20, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.