Though the price of RT-PCR test kit has decreased in the international market, the people of Bangladesh have been spending a lot for testing samples for Covid-19. It is not that the government policymakers do not know this. They have been procrastinating in the name of ‘thinking’ about this. The government has discussed about cost of test but no decision has been made as yet to reduce it. As a result people are being forced to spend a lot for tests.
Currently, people are to pay Tk 3,000 for every kit at private hospitals and clinics. On the other hand, people going abroad need to pay Tk 2,500 for every test. But the test done in government facilities is almost free of cost. The registration fee is only Tk 30. But people suffer a lot there as many go there. There are incidents that people returned from the queue even after waiting for a long time there.
Specialists say that the new variant, Omicron, spread fast though its effect is not so lethal. In that case more tests were required. But many people with mild symptoms are not opting against tests due to long queues at government hospitals and exorbitant cost at private hospitals and clinics. As a result, the risk of infection of others from them is there.
A report of The Daily Star says price of a kit for RT-PCR test was Tk 2,000-3,000 in 2020. Now that has come down to Tk145-945. In that case, the service providers could make profit if the price for each test is fixed at Tk 1,500. In 2020, the cost for Covid test was fixed at Tk 3,500. The technical committee on Covid-19 proposed to reduce the cost by half in April last year. At that time, the price of a kit was between Tk 800-1,000. The health directorate also talked about fixing the cost at Tk 1,500. But ignoring all those proposals, the government re-fixed the test cost at Tk 3,000.
Currently, the price of RT-PCR test kit has declined even more. So there could be no reason of keeping Tk 3,000 for each test. The health directorate in the last month proposed for sample tests at Tk 2,000 and Tk 1,600 for outgoing passengers. The health ministry officials said they have been working to reduce the cost. The problem with government offices is that they cannot take any decision when it is necessary. Bureaucratic red-tape and procrastination is everywhere. They don’t even realise that a little bit of their negligence could be a reason of huge loss for the people.
Currently the Omicron variant is infecting many people. Now is the time to take the decision on reducing the cost and at the same time, the number of sample tests has to be increased. Mobile centres have to be opened for conducting tests, if necessary, as was done during the time of Delta variant infection in Rajshahi and some other parts of the country. Why can’t that be done now as was done earlier?