NEW DELHI: Four months after two private companies were hired to provide 450 free pathology and diagnostic tests in state-run hospitals, polyclinics and mohalla clinics, the Delhi government is yet to sign a formal agreement with them.
In the absence of the agreement, the companies had not been paid and now they have told the government that they will be forced to stop providing free tests if their payments are not released immediately.
No immediate reaction was available from the AAP government.
Expanding the scope of its diagnostic services for patients visiting state-run hospitals, mohalla clinics and polyclinics, the Delhi government had this year increased the number of free pathological and diagnostic tests to 450. Some of these tests include Hepatitis B antigen, Hepatitis C virus, HIV, Hepatitis B DNA, Hepatitis C RNA, HPV serology, PCR for tuberculosis, and H1N1.
The free testing facility was started on February 1 and was available at 522 Aam Aadmi mohalla clinics, four Mahila mohalla clinics, 21 polyclinics, 201 dispensaries, and various state-run hospitals.
Sources said the health department has divided the capital into three clusters- cluster A covering south, southwest, southeast and central districts; cluster B covering north, northwest, west and New Delhi districts; and cluster C covering Shahdara, East and northeast districts. Healthcare companies were invited to participate in the bidding process, and two companies – Metropolis and Sanjeevan – were awarded the tender.
“Since it was a prestigious work, we wanted to begin immediately. But the necessary agreement between the companies and the government could not be signed,” said a Delhi government official, requesting anonymity.
“We have now received communication that their bills are pending. The payment cannot be released unless there is proper documentation. Since the agreement has not been signed, no payment can be released,” the official added.
According to officials, for some tests the government has to pay the companies as per the NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories), and for others, the companies will be paid as per the CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) rate list.
Sources said the directorate general of health services wrote to the health department recently giving details of the tests done by the two firms in different clusters and urging it to expedite the process of signing the agreement and releasing the payment.
“Since most of the tests have been outsourced by the government, a large number of patients will be affected,” said another official.
Testing facilities in mohalla clinics had stopped for over two months due to non-payment of their dues in 2022 too, the official added.
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