Meghalaya govt to charge for COVID-19 test from Oct 16; BPL families, high risk contacts exempted

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 6, 2020

Cash-strapped Meghalaya government has decided to charge for COVID-19 test for citizens and visitors to the state starting from October 16.

However, high risk contacts of positive patients and people belonging to below poverty line (BPL) are exempted from paying for COVID-19 test.

The state government also announced its decision to make rapid antigen test (RAT) mandatory for people coming into the state.

Addressing media persons on Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said the government has decided to cap the rate of COVID-19 test at Rs 3,200 for RT-PCR and Rs 500 for RAT.

“Testing, be it RT-PCR, CBNAAT, Truenat or RAT will be on payment basis from October 16. However, BPL families or beneficiaries under NFSA and high risk contacts are totally exempted,” he said.

There will be designated testing centres across the state which include Pasteur institute, Shillong, Nazareth hospital, Bethany hospital, Dr H Gordon Robert hospital, civil hospitals at Nongpoh, Tura, Baghmara, Williamnagar, Nongstoin and others.

He said the decision was taken in view that the government of India and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have already withdrawn assistance relating to subsidizing testing kits from July, this year and now, all states have to pay by themselves.

“But Meghalaya is still continuing to provide free testing in spite of the fact that other states have stopped extending this facility. Therefore, we have decided to continue this system till October 15,” said the deputy chief minister.

Tynsong also said a rapid antigen test is mandatory for any individual entering the state through the respective entry points.

“Any individual be it permanent residents of the state or those coming for business and official works will have to go for an antigen test on payment basis from October 16. Without taking the test, they will not be allowed to enter the state,” he said.

Tynsong however said exemption will be given to those people, who had already tested outside the state on production of the test certificate, which is within the validity of 72 hours.

“We have already created an online facility at www.coronamegh.in for those people who wanted to come to the state so that they can register or book for testing before entering the state,” he said.

Further, Tynsong also informed that the state government has decided to initiate facilities for paid isolation and to charge for fooding at the corona care centres created by the government.

“We have instructed the respective deputy commissioners to tie up with hotel and guest house owners, who are willing to convert their premises into corona care centres, for accommodating positive cases, who are ready to go for paid isolation in their respective districts. We have also asked the DCs to workout what should be the rate of the food per person per day at the government corona care centres. BPL families are again exempted and those who wish to bring food from their homes,” he said.

Asked, Tynsong said frontline workers are also not subjected to payment for COVID-19 test as they will be taken care of by the health department.

In as far as the Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS), he said that although the component for COVID-19 test is not included yet, medical treatment will be covered under the scheme.