It is endeavor of the Government to provide Free Essential Laboratory Investigations to all the patients visiting public Health Facilities. In this direction the Government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to provide Laboratory investigations free of cost to any patient visiting PHCs, CHCs, Area and District Hospitals across the State of Andhra Pradesh and prescribed laboratory investigations by a doctor, with an intension of reducing out of pocket expenditure.
Government of Andhra Pradesh has adopted the National Health Missions mandate of providing 19 Free Investigations in PHCs, 40 in CHCs, 72 Tests in Area and District Hospitals.
National wide tenders were called for Laboratory Investigations and agency was finalized by the State in a very transparent manner.
Out of the 19 tests assured at PHC level 12 tests which are high volume and low cost will be conducted in house laboratory by the Technician of the Government. Only 7 tests which are in low volumes and high cost are outsourced to the agency. The agency will provide phlebotomist and will be responsible for the safe collection, preservation and transportation of the sample and will issue the result with in a defined time in accordance with the GOI guidelines.
On the same lines 16 out of 40 Laboratory Investigations assured in a CHC will be carried out by Government Lab Technician in house and the remaining tests are outsourced similarly 19 out of 72 tests assured at Area and District Hospitals will be conducted in house laboratory and the remaining tests were outsourced to the agency.
The above decision of the Government will benefit all the patients visiting 1157 PHCs, 192 CHCs, 31 Area Hospitals and 8 District Hospitals in all the 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh including Tribal and hard to reach areas.
This initiative will not only reduce out of pocket expenditure but also saves time of the patient by reducing the time for travel to a Diagnostic Laboratory for investigation and required stay arrangement to obtain the reports and to revisit the doctor for prescription. Since the report will be made available online and hard copy will be made available in the institution where the sample is collected for the benefit of the patient.
