JKCSF welcomes government's move to slash test costs; urges to regulate private laboratories too

Srinagar, Nov 23: The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Forum (JKCSF) Saturday welcomed the J-K government's move to introduce affordable rates for PET scans and CBCT machine charges in government-run hospitals and health institutions under the Health and Medical Education Department (excluding SKIMS).

The newly announced rates—Rs. 10,000 for Whole Body PET Scan, Rs. 4,000 for Cardiac Metabolism PET Scan, Rs.1,200 for PET-Guided Biopsy, Rs. 600 for PET Scan reviews from outside, and Rs. 1,200 for CBCT charges—are a laudable step towards ensuring advanced diagnostics are within the reach of economically disadvantaged patients, JKCSF said in an official handout.

JKCSF urged the government to extend these measures to private diagnostic laboratories as well.

By regulating private lab charges, the benefits of such reforms can be amplified, ensuring that more citizens have access to affordable and high-quality diagnostic services, regardless of the service provider, read the handout.

Additionally, JKCSF appeals to the authorities to generalize this approach for all diagnostic tests and procedures.

It also recommended that both government and private diagnostic facilities ensure testing labs are established on ground floors, to ease the needs of elderly and mobility-impaired patients to prevent them from facing difficulties in accessing essential healthcare.

JKCSF chairman, Ab Qayoom Wani urged the govt to ensure CT scan and MRI and other high tech diagnostic facilities to all District and Sub district hospitals.