Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne instructed all private hospitals to reduce charges from June 19 (yesterday) for the blood tests to diagnose dengue.
All leading private hospitals have already implemented the new charges. From yesterday, (19) a Full Blood Count Test cost a patient Rs. 250 and a Dengue Antigen Test cost Rs. 1,000. Earlier, a Full Blood Count Test cost a patient Rs. 500 and a Dengue Antigen test cost Rs. 3,000.
The new charges imposed by the Health Ministry will be valid until further notice.
The Minister took steps under the Private Hospital Regulatory Programme considering the increasing number of dengue patients in the country. A Consultant Community Physician attached to the National Dengue Control Unit said the Dengue Antigen test (NS1) can be positive within first 24 or 48 hours following infection. A negative test result cannot be accepted if fever and symptoms continue to be present after two or three days.
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