Experts concerned over India Supreme Court ruling to provide free COVID-19 testing News
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Experts concerned over India Supreme Court ruling to provide free COVID-19 testing

The Supreme Court of India ruled Wednesday that citizens must be given access to free COVID-19 testing, sparking concern from many experts.

Many business leaders and health experts state that by placing a high financial burden on private medical firms, India could actually see a reduction in its COVID-19 testing. Small businesses currently do not have enough money to stay afloat, experts have said, and testing their employees could sink their corporations. At least 166 people have lost their lives from COVID-19 thus far, which has inspired the court to take these actions. “A fee of 4,500 rupees being charged by the private labs was found unfeasible by the Supreme court, because it may not be within the means of a large population of the country.”

The court suggested that private medical firms should be attempting to play a philanthropic role during this international crisis so that India’s poor could receive equal access to health and wellness.

For more on COVID-19, see our special coverage.

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