Dengue testing capped at Rs 300 across Karnataka. But what’s Bengaluru's reality?

Bengaluru: Despite the capped rates for dengue tests in Karnataka, many diagnostic centres across the city are charging two to 10 times the suggested rates.

With the rising number of dengue cases in the city, the Karnataka Health department has capped the rates for NS1 antigen ELISA and IgM antibody test at Rs 300, and rapid card tests for the NS1 antigen, IgM and IgG antibodies at Rs 250.   

The rapid test for dengue detects NS1 antigen, IgG and IgM antibodies in the sample, and one can get the result in 1 to 2 hours. The ELISA test is a qualitative detection of IgM antibodies, and takes more time to process (around 6 to 8 hours or more).

Dengue tests at most centres usually cost between Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. On Tuesday, almost a week after the rates were capped, Metrolife called up diagnostic centres across the city to find out the rates they are charging currently.

Calls were made to labs in areas like Shivajinagar, Electronic City, Horamavu, Rajajinagar, Jayanagar, J P Nagar, Kammanahalli, Whitefield, Kasturi Nagar, and R R Nagar. The rates varied from Rs 250 to Rs 1,500 for the rapid tests. The ELISA test rate starts from Rs 1,200, with a centre in Electronic City Phase II charging Rs 3,000, which is 10 times the capped rate.