The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has rescheduled prices of 10 emergency coronavirus tests and services, including the prices of oxygen cylinder, cylinder refilling and oxygen utilisation.
The government agency submitted a report including the new price-list to the High Court (HC) on Sunday.
Upon hearing on the report, the HC directed the authorities concerned to display the price-list, awaiting approval of the Ministry of Health, in front of the government and private hospitals that are serving the coronavirus-affected patients.
The HC bench of Justice J B M Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after holding hearing on a writ.
The health secretary and the DGHS director general have been asked to take actions to ensure display of the price-list within seven days of receiving the order.
However, the DGHS director (hospital) Dr Md Farid Hossain Miah said the list cannot be displayed without approval of the ministry.
Assistant attorney general Kalipodo Mridha placed the report in the court on behalf of the DGHS. Later, lawyers from both the sides took part in hearing the report.
After the court order, writ petitioner lawyer Bashir Ahmed said the court also asked the government bodies to submit a progress report in the court by January 20, 2021 on setting up 30-bed ICU-CCU in every district hospital across the country, determining various test fees in healthcare institutions and diagnostic centres, formulating new laws in a timely manner, and forming the Health Regulatory Commission.
The DGHS has fixed the price of CBC test at Tk 500 each. Besides, the minimum price has been fixed at Tk 400, and the maximum price at Tk 600. The fixed price for CRP test has been fixed at Tk 600. Besides, the minimum and maximum prices have been fixed at Tk 600 and Tk 900 respectively.
The fixed price of LFT test has been fixed at Tk 1,000. The lowest and highest price has been set at Tk 950 and Tk 1,600.
Approval has been sought to fix a fixed price of Tk 400 for serum creatimr test. Besides, the department has sought approval to fix the minimum and maximum price at Tk 300 and Tk 650 for the test.
Approval has been sought for S Electrolgle test at a fixed price of Tk 1,000. The minimum and maximum price has been asked to be Tk 850 and Tk 1,450.
The fixed price for D-Dimer test is Tk 1,500. The lowest and highest price is fixed at Tk 1,100 and Tk 3,200.
The fixed price for S Ferrition test has been fixed at Tk 1,200, and its lowest and highest price is Tk 1,000 and Tk 2,200.
The price of S Procalcitonin test has been fixed at Tk 2,000. The lowest and highest price is Tk 1,500 and Tk 4,500.
The fixed price of CT scan (chest) has been asked to be fixed at Tk 6,000. Approval has been sought for fixing the minimum and maximum price at Tk 5,000 and Tk 13,000.
Chest X-ray (analog) price has been asked to be fixed at Tk 400, whereas the fixed price of chest X-ray (digital) has been asked to be Tk 600.
The minimum and maximum prices of these two X-rays are Tk 300 and Tk 500, and Tk 500 and Tk 800 respectively.
The retail price of a 1,360-litre or 1.38-cubic metre cylinder in the market is Tk 1,400. The retail price of a cylinder of 6,800 liters or 6.8 cubic metres is Tk 16,500 in the proposed price-list.
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