Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar on Thursday ordered the authorities concerned to ensure price regulation of COVID-19 testing services provided by private laboratories, according to a news report. He also took notice of the recently seen practices of artificial price hikes and oxygen cylinder hoarding.
According to a statement, the CM had directed the health minister and Secretary Secondary Healthcare and Medical Education (SH&ME) to regulate prices of COVID-19 tests conducted in private labs. He stated that the health department should ensure that a suitable testing fee is set and implemented to facilitate people. He deemed this as a necessary measure to prevent private laboratories from conducting tests at extortionate rates.
He further stated that the provincial government will not tolerate hoarding and take strict action against it. He also emphasized the need to make oxygen cylinders available at affordable rates in the province. He sought the implementation of these price regulation measures in response to complaints about unavailability of oxygen cylinders and overpricing of basic equipment required to fight COVID-19.
