[ad_1]
New Delhi: Expanding the scope of its diagnostic services for patients visiting state-run hospitals, mohalla clinics and polyclinics, the Delhi government on Tuesday said that from January 1, a total of 450 tests will be provided for free, up from the existing 200-odd. Some of the tests that will be free include Hepatitis B antigen, Hepatitis C virus, HIV, Hepatitis B DNA, Hepatitis C RNA, HPV serology, PCR for tuberculosis and H1N1.
At present, the Delhi government has 522 aam aadmi mohalla clinics, four mahila mohalla clinics, 21 polyclinics and 201 dispensaries in the city, where the testing facility will be available for free.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who approved the proposal, tweeted: “It is our mission to provide good quality health and education to all sections of people. Healthcare has become very expensive. Many people cannot afford private healthcare. This step of the Delhi government will help all such people.”
Till now, 212 types of tests are provided free of cost in aam aadmi mohalla clinics of the Delhi government and more than 250 tests are free in some government hospitals and super speciality clinics. Some of these include tests for pregnancy, kidney function, liver function, bone marrow smear examination, thyroid and others. For the remaining tests, patients are usually forced to go to private hospitals and use their diagnostic services.
The Delhi government, meanwhile, has also partnered with private laboratories to ensure that testing and sample transportation are carried out as per standard operating procedure approved by the authorities.
[ad_2]
Source link