NCP welcomes SC directive to Centre on free COVID-19 tests

Mumbai, Apr 8 () The NCP on Wednesday welcomed theSupreme Courts directive to the Centre on ensuring conductingCOVID-19 tests in approved government or private laboratoriesfree of cost.

"The Supreme Court asked the central government onWednesday to ensure the testing facility for Covid-19 is madeavailable free of cost to all citizens in government as wellas private labs. We welcome this important directive of thesupreme court," NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said.

Earlier in the day, the apex court directed thatCOVID-19 tests in approved government or private laboratoriesshould be conducted free of cost and the Centre shouldimmediately issue directions in this regard.

The top court said the private hospitals, includinglaboratories, have an important role to play in containing thescale of the pandemic by extending philanthropic services inthe hour of national crisis.

A bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Ravindra Bhat,which heard the matter via video conferencing, said that testsrelating to COVID-19 or coronavirus must be carried out inNABL accredited Labs or any agencies approved by WHO or ICMR. ENMNP NP