A recent study has revealed that out of the 12 high-burden countries where the private sector plays a major role in healthcare , the Indian private sector offers the cheapest price for WHO-approved Xpert MTB/RIF, a molecular test for diagnosing TB .
India also has the highest number of private labs offering tests , out of which 113 labs offer it at subsidised rates. It costs only Rs 2000 in the 113 labs as part of the initiative - Improving Access to Affordable and Quality TB test (IPAQT) that was launched in India in March 2013. However the charges are between Rs 3500 - Rs 5000 in lab which are not of IPAQT.
The prices of diagnosis in Bangladesh and Afghanistan are way higher at $75 and $50 respectively .
"If the government waives of custom duty of 31% levied on Xpert machine and reagents , the cost of tests will decrease more. Government can waive duties on life saving drugs and products and HIV kits , for example are duty-waived . Now, it necessary to waive off duty on TB test," said Dr Madhukar Pai one of the Governing Council Member of IPAQT.
As a result of subsidized pricing agreement the number of people accessing highly accurate diagnostic test has increased from 15,190 people who availed the test between March and December 2013 to 131,440 in 2015.
" With a lot of effort we have managed to keep the price manageable via IPAQT in India , and have shown that the volumes can greatly increase . In other privatized countries people pay a lot and still have limited access to good tests," Dr Pai added.
Though the price is internationally set to $9.98 per cartridge and the agreement allows 10% variation in exchange rate, the test rate has not been increased since January 2014 despite the rupee value depreciating against the dollar in recent times and if it continues then the price may be revised said Dr Pai.
This comes as a very good news at a time when the TB problem in India seems to be increasing day by day .
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