Karnataka govt caps flu test price at Rs 1,700

Bengaluru: The Health and Family Welfare Department on Thursday capped the price of Influenza Panel Test, including the Covid test, at Rs 1,700 and ordered the mandatory registration of all the Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and Influenza-like illness (ILI) cases on the Integrated Health Information Platform Portal (IHIP). 

The order came after several private hospitals and diagnostics were found charging Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 for the test without issuing a specimen referral form (SRF) ID. It was also found that Influenza Panel tests were conducted unnecessarily as routine tests for patients suffering from general cold and throat pain. 

The Influenza Panel tests are conducted to check for any viruses, including Covid-19. 

In case of violations of the order, the registration of hospitals and diagnostics centres will be suspended or cancelled in accordance with Section 15 of the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act, 2007, the department warned.