The government has given approval to three private hospitals -- Evercare Hospitals Ltd (formerly Apollo Hospitals), Square Hospitals Ltd and United Hospitals Ltd -- to conduct testing for Covid-19 in order to prevent the disease from spreading, as it is already in community transmission level now.
Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Additional Director General (ADG) Prof Dr Nasima Sultana confirmed the matter on Wednesday.
However, these three hospitals will be able to collect samples from and conduct Covid-19 tests only on patients admitted there.
The hospitals can charge highest Tk3,500 for the price of the testing kit and other relevant charges.
Nasima hinted that few more hospitals will also get the permission to conduct Covid-19 testing.
Square Hospitals Medical Services Associate Director Prof Wahiuddin Mahmud told Dhaka Tribune said: “We will start testing our patients as soon as possible."
On Wednesday, confirmed Covid-19 cases rose to 7,103 in Bangladesh, with 641 new cases between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon.
During this period, eight more people died from Covid-19, raising the death toll to 163.
