The Supreme Court (SC) has instructed the government to not charge people with low-income and those under risk of infection for COVID-19 tests.
The Health Ministry on May 15 had issued guidelines allowing people to do rapid diagnostic test (RDT) by paying. It then issued a notice saying one can get RDT by paying stating that whether to get one tested free of cost or by paying fee is a matter of choice.
Advocate Santosh Bhandari had then moved the SC against the guidelines and the notice stating that those with low income and under risk of infection cannot be charged.
A bench of Justice Tej Bahadur KC hearing the petition on Tuesday has instructed the government to not implement the decision on the people with low income and under risk of infection until the court issues another order after hearing arguments of both the sides.
"Keep the policy of paid corona test as it is and don't implement it on those with annual income of less than Rs 270,000, who are under the poverty line, who entered Nepal clandestinely crossing the border and are under risk of infection, people of any group in districts with symptom of coronavirus, and workers who have returned from countries other than India and annual income of less than Rs 780,000," the SC has stated.
