Where and how to do Covid test easily

 

As the incidence of coronavirus in Bangladesh increases like the rest of the world, the number of people interested in testing samples of this virus is constantly increasing. According to the Department of Health, samples of Covid-19 are being tested in the labs of more than 200 public and private institutions. The total death toll in Corona in Bangladesh has so far exceeded twelve thousand and the number of infected is more than eight lakh. The first question that ordinary people in our country have about coronavirus testing is how to do it cheaply and easily.

From the beginning, Corona test was free. But from June 29, 2020, the government fixed the fee for corona test. Because the coronavirus test was free, most people were taking the opportunity to get tested without symptoms. In such a situation, the government fixed a fee to avoid unnecessary tests for control and proper management of Covid-19 infection. The government has set a fee of Tk 100 for the general public who will go to government hospitals and labs and if samples are collect from government booths and hospitalized patients and Tk 300 if sample collected from home. Earlier it was 200 and 500 taka respectively.

On the other hand, for the general public residing in the country, if anyone go to a private hospital or a designated center and give a sample, he will have to pay Tk 3,000, which earlier was 3,500. If sample collected from home, he has to pay 3,700 taka which was 4,500 so far. On the other hand, passengers who want to go abroad will have to pay 2,500 taka for the corona test. Earlier, those who wanted to go abroad had to pay a fee of Tk 3,000 in a private hospital for the corona test. The government has fixed a fee of Tk 300 in government labs for the sample test to issue Covid-19 free certificates to smart card holders who want to go abroad. Earlier, before going abroad, one had to pay a government fee of Tk 1,500 for testing a sample of the novel coronavirus. Due to lack of publicity and accurate information, many people do not know that the government has arranged for testing of coronavirus samples for the general public at very low cost.

The names of the centers for collecting samples in Covid-19 test under government management in Dhaka are: - Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka Medical College, Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford Hospital), Mugda Medical College Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Kurmitola General Hospital, Child Health Care Research Foundation, Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Central Police Hospital, Center for Advance Researce in Sciences (CARS), Sheikh Russell Gastroliver Institute and Hospital, Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital, BgB Pilkhana Hospital, Sorkari Kormocari Hospital, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and CMH, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Of Laboratory Medicine and Referral Center, National Polio Measles Laboratory (NPNL-IPH), National Institute of Biotechnology, National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM) and International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (iccddr,b).

The places outside Dhaka where tests are conducted by government management are: - Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (BITID), Chattogram Medical College, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences Institute, Chattogram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital, University of Chittagong, Comilla Medical College, Cox's Bazar Medical College, Noakhali Science and Technology University, Mymensingh Medical College, Sheikh Hasina Medical College, Rajshahi Medical College, Shaheed Monsur Ali Medical College, Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College, Rangpur Medical College, Rangamati General Hospital RT-PCR Lab, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Khulna Medical College, Kushtia Medical College, Jessore University of Science and Technology, Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, Satkhira Medical College, Bhola 250-bed General Hospital, Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College, Shaheed Syed Nazrul Islam Medical College, Faridpur Medical College, Narayanganj 300-bed hospital, and Covid-19 PCR Lab, Rupganj, Narayanganj.

Samples can be tested in Dhaka under private management are: Evercare Hospital, Square Hospital, Prava Health Bangladesh Limited, Ibn Sina Medical College Hospital, Anwar Khan Modern Medical College Hospital, Enam Medical College and Hospital, Biomed Diagnosics, United Hospital, Labaid Hospital (Dhanmondi Branch),  DMFR Molecular Lab and Diagnostic, DNA Solutions Ltd., Dr. Lal Path Labs Bangladesh Limited, CSBF Health Center, Aichi Hospital Limited, Zainul Haque Sikder Women's Medical College and Hospital, Universal Medical College and Hospital, C R L Diagnostics, Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital, A M Z Hospital Limited, The DNA Lab Ltd., Al-Helal Specialized Hospital, Japan Medical Center, Green Life Hospital Ltd., Alok Healthcare Ltd.

Popular Diagnostic Center (Dhanmondi Branch), Ad-Din Medical College Hospital, Asgar Ali Hospital, Dhaka Central International Medical College and Hospital, Gulshan Clinic Limited, Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences General Hospital, Care Medical College, Bangladesh Specialized Hospital, Famous Specialized Hospital, Novas Clinical Research Services Limited, Medinova Medical Services Limited (Mirpur Branch), Al-Jami Diagnostic Center, Dhaka Stem Health Care, Prime Diagnostic, Dynamic Lab, Healthcare Diagnostic Center Limited, Impulse Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Crystal Diagnostic, Victoria Healthcare Ltd., Green Crescent Health Services and Ashiyan Medical College.

The online appointment procedure for testing coronavirus samples at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (PG Hospital) Fever Clinic for only Tk 130 is very simple. Firstly, go to the university website (https://bsmmu.edu.bd). From there, select "All Menu" and select "COVID-19" and then "Services" option. The "Appointment for fever clinic" option can be found there. Clicking on this option will show some instructions. 1) No appointment is required for corona examination of pregnant women. They will be able to appear in person in a timely manner and be tested on a priority basis. 2) If you want to make an appointment at BSMMU Fever Clinic, you have to fill the "appointment form". 3) Appointment recipients have to come to the fever clinic and receive medical treatment as per the mentioned time by showing the SMS sent from the specific number of the university (+8801552146202) to the mobile number.

4) Those who have been appointed in special quota will have to show a recognized and acceptable identity card issued by the employer or the appropriate authority while receiving medical services. 5) Follow-up Testing or Re-Testing Instructions: According to National Guideline on Management of Corona Virus Disease 2019 Version 7 BSMMU's Fever Clinic will not test anyone who comes for the purpose of follow up testing only to ensure the suspected patients joining of services or discharge from hospital and all concerned are requested to cooperate in this regard. 6) Covid 19 test fee: All the patients who will need to undergo Covid 19 test will have to pay one hundred taka as government prescribed test fee. And 7) After accepting the appointment, without proper reason if someone is absent, the authorities may decide not to make an appointment on his mobile number again.

The type of quota is mentioned in the appointment form such as: General/Healthcare provider/ Journalist/ Freedom Fighter/ BSMMU/ Engineer/ Agriculturalist/ Banker/Forces (Law Enforcement / Defense / Ansar VDP). Then patient name, mobile number, age, gender, district, upazila, village/ area and time to make an appointment (09:00 - 09:59AM, 10:00 - 10:59AM, 11:00 - 11:59AM, 12:00 - 12:59PM, 01:00 - 01:59PM) must be filled up. You have to confirm the procedure by 08:00 - 09:00AM. If the sample is given on the specified day and time, the test result will be sent to the relevant mobile number within that night. Also from the website of the Health Department the certificate containing the results of the Corona test can be downloaded with the mobile number if necessary.


Md. Arafat Rahman, Columnist & Asst. Officer, Career & Professional Development Services Department, Southeast University