RAWALPINDI: The PCR kits provided to 13 hospitals across Punjab under the Hepatitis Control Programme 2017 have been used within the six months, leaving needy patients at the mercy of private laboratories to undergo tests at high fees.
According to media reports, PCR kits have been consumed in the Holy Family Hospital and Benazir Bhutto Central Hospital Rawalpindi, while the DHQ hospital is left with a small number of kits.
Around 445 PCR Kits were provided to hospitals with 44,500 tests conducted during 2016-2017 across the Punjab. However, this time only 241 kits were made available; hence only 21,000 tests have been conducted this year.
The Rawalpindi Allied Hospitals were provided with 36 PCR kits this year, allowing them to conduct only 3600 tests. According to sources, the kits supplied by Punjab Government were consumed in the first week of June since the number of patients is rising.
As a result, patients have been left at the mercy of private laboratories for PCR tests that cost between Rs10, 000 and Rs 12, 000.
