JAIPUR: Tag of 'swine flu capital' is proving costly for the City. Aiming to prevent spread of disease, the government has spent more than Rs1 crore in the City till Tuesday in 2018 on testing. The equal number of tests would cost in non-government establishments in the range of Rs 3 crore. Rajasthan has reported highest number of swine flu cases in the country, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme report shows. Jaipur reported more than half of the country's total swine flu cases to become the swine flu capital.But, the credit for the dubious distinction the City is having goes to the state government, which has extensively provided free of cost testing of patients to reduce mortality due to the disease. The mortality rate due to swine flu in the city is just above 4%. So far, 6316 persons have undergone swine flu testing in the city till Tuesday since January 1. The test result shows that 655 were tested positive while rest of the 5,661 were tested negative for the disease.A senior health department official said, "The test is available in private hospitals and diagnostic centres in the range of Rs4,000 to Rs6,000 and some others might be offering it in slightly lesser prices but the state government is providing it absolutely free. It is a major relief for the patients. The government is doing so to encourage people to take treatment without worrying about the cost of test and medicines."Across the state, 9486 persons underwent free testing for swine flu in government hospitals since January 1 till date. "If the average cost of test provided in non-government establishment is Rs5,000, the government has saved at least Rs5 crore of the patients by providing the test free of cost," the official said.Besides, the government spent average of Rs2,000 per test for purchasing it for the patients. The average cost of all tests provided free to the patient borne by the government is at least Rs2crore.Sawai Man Singh Hospital too purchases kits for swine flu tests to provide it to the patients free of cost. "We spend Rs1,900 to Rs2,000 to purchase one kit of swine flu test to provide it free of cost to the patients," said Dr SS Yadav, spokesperson, Sawai Man Singh Hospital.In the city, the government has approximately spent more than Rs1crore. Equal number of test is available in non-government establishment should be more than Rs3crore.Sawai Man Singh hospital senior professor (medicine) Dr CL Nawal said, "There is a need for people to remain aware about the disease. When patients come to my OPD, I ask questions to them about swine flu but majority of them do not know much about swine flu. Government and doctors are putting their efforts but people also should remain alert on the disease.""I have seen those who are tested positive and they do not take precautions to prevent spread of virus from them to other healthy persons. Swine flu patients need home isolation for some days as a social responsibility to prevent transmission of infection from them to other healthy persons," said Dr Nawal.

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