Show cause notice to 2 labs for overcharging for swineflu test

Cracking the whip, the Delhi government today issued show cause notices to two private labs for allegedly charging more than the specified limit of Rs 4,500 fixed by it for swine flu tests.
The notices were issued following surprise checks conducted by a health department team on the directions of Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain last night.
The labs have been asked as to why their licences should not be cancelled for cheating the people in distress by failing to comply with the specified norms.
The minister ordered surprise checks after media reports showed that some private labs continued to overcharge for the H1N1 (Swine Flu) tests despite a Delhi government directive having capped the maximum fees at Rs 4,500.

A health department team including an additional director and a nodal officer from the Directorate of Health Services conducted surprise late night checks and found that two private laboratories, namely - Healthcare Diagnostics at Yusuf Sarai and Global Diagnostics, Hari Nagar, were overcharging for conducting the tests.
It has also been found that these two laboratories have not been accredited by the city government for conducting the H1N1 tests.

The government has appealed to the people of Delhi not to panic, saying effective measures are in place and the situation was under control.
"There is sufficient stock of medicines in government hospitals and approved chemist shops. People should try and get their tests done free of cost in government hospitals and there is no cause for panic," the Health Minister said.

Three people, including a 23-year-old pregnant woman, had died of swine flu in Delhi yesterday.