Nagaland: No Covid-19 test fees for public; only for non-residents entering state

Our Reporter
Dimapur, July 24 (EMN):  

After much confusion and uproar about the Nagaland health authorities stating to charge a fee for Covid-19 tests, stipulated at INR 1500, the state’s directorate of Health and Family Welfare has on Friday, July 24, clarified that there will be no charge for Covid-19 testing for the public of the state.

Clarifying news that was published on Friday, Principal Director Dr. Vizolie Z Suokhrie stated in a handout that "The SOP (standard operation procedures) which the officer referred to is not for returnees or general public requiring Covid-19 testing but specified for special categories of non-resident people who need to enter Nagaland for a short duration for urgent essential work or for unavoidable reasons."

These are, he mentioned, skilled labourers, mechanics, technicians, engineers etc., to name a few who need to enter the state for short duration to provide services for maintenance, or repair, or constructions for essential or emergency services such as power, telecom, transport, upkeep of medical equipment or laboratories, and for some other unavoidable reasons.

Also, this SOP is for government servants who need to enter the state and work or start performing duties.

A notification on "SOP for special categories of people entering Nagaland for urgent essential works or for unavoidable reasons" was issued by the Home department’s Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority on June 17 notifying that ‘In the case of any person, other than a government servant desirous of entering the state, the permission will be sought from the deputy commissioner and chairman, district task force of the destination district, mentioning the purpose of the visit and detailed itinerary: point of entry, the places to visit, with date and time, till the date of departure.’

‘Application for entry permit should be submitted at least five days before the intended date of travel. The deputy commissioner on being satisfied of the urgency and unavoidability of the proposed visit will submit with clear recommendations to the Home department, for seeking its clearance. After obtaining the clearance of the Home department, the DC will give permission and wherever applicable, the Inner Line Permit, mentioning clearly the duration of visit and other details.’

On reaching the destination district’s sample collection centre, tests that are conducted using TrueNat will bear a fee of INR 1500 per test.

The department iterated the notification issued on June 17 that states that the special category of people whose services are urgently required, but may be deterred from entering the state by 14 days of facility quarantine and 14 days of home quarantine, are being facilitated by the special SOP.

Only this group of people will be charged INR 1500 per TrueNat test. Within this category again, those who are on official government duty will be exempted from the testing fee, the authority stated.