Corona testing cost in Pakistan, India, UK, US, France and China

LAHORE: Although the second wave of the ruthless Coronavirus has also begun to haunt Pakistan after a brief gap, the government is yet to lower the testing cost from the existing Rs8,900 that is way too high if one takes into account the fact that the country's nominal GDP per capita is just resting around $1,130 which is roughly equivalent to Rs180,670 per annum or just Rs 15,056 per month.

These figures have been calculated by taking into account the Pakistani Rupee to US dollar parity of Rs159.54.

In neighbouring India, where the nominal GDP per capita is expected to reach $1,900 (Indian Rupees 140,182 per annum or Indian Rupees 11,682 monthly) by the end of 2020, the government Wednesday reduced Coronavirus testing cost from Indian Rupees 1,500 to Rs800, which is roughly equivalent to Pakistani Rs1,734.

The monthly Indian nominal GDP per capita of Rs11,682 monthly is equal to Pakistani Rs25,314.

The figures have been calculated using Indian Rupee to US dollar parity of Rs73.78 and the Indian Rupee to Pakistani Rupee parity of Rs2.16.

In the United Kingdom, one of the cheapest options for an antibody test a few months ago was available with Messrs Bupa, an international health insurance and healthcare group with over 33 million customers worldwide.

With Messrs Bupa, customers seeking testing in this context were required to pay £65, which is equal to Pakistani Rs13,807 only.

These figures have been calculated using Pakistani Rupee to British Pound Sterling parity of Rs212.41.

In expensive British hospitals like Messrs Summerfield Healthcare and the Private Harley Street Clinic, which also deal in swab-based and antibody tests, Coronavirus testing costs were much higher though.

The cost of swab-based and antibody tests at Britain's Summerfield Healthcare was resting between £99 (Pak Rs21,029) and £149 (Pak Rs 31,649) few months ago.

Similarly, this cost at the Private Harley Street Clinic in London had stood between £195 (Pak Rs41,420) and £335 (Pak Rs71,157) in not-so-distant past.

These figures have been calculated using Pakistani Rupee to British Pound Sterling parity of Rs212.41.

In the United States, when an individual had mild symptoms and sought a visit with a primary care provider in New York City, the average out-of-pocket Corona testing cost was $994 (Pak Rs158,583).

For a primary visit with lab tests, the highest average for COVID-19 testing was recorded in Miami at $2,662 (Pak Rs424, 696), the testing cost in Seattle was $824 (Pak Rs131,461), in Boston $1,222.48 (Pak Rs195,034), Chicago ($1,034.20 or Pak Rs164,996), Dallas ($1,551 or Pak Rs247,447), Houston ($1,197.35 or Pak Rs191,025), Los Angeles ($1,372.30 or Pak Rs218,937), San Francisco $2,202.25 or Pak Rs351,347), and Washington DC ($1,338.05 or Pak Rs213,473).

As stated above, these figures have been calculated by taking into account the Pakistani Rupee to US dollar parity of Rs159.54.

(Reference: Messrs Castlight Health, a San Francisco-based healthcare navigation company that offers comparison tools showing price and quality metrics for tests and procedures)

In France, according to a French civil society watchdog "Observatoire Medicaments Transparences," the Corona test was costing 135 Euros few months ago, which is equivalent to Pak Rs25,998.

This figure has been calculated using Pakistani Rupee to Euro parity of Rs192.58. In June 2020, Dorit Nitzan, WHO/European Coordinator of Health Emergencies, had told a presser that the cost of the Corona testing varied from country to country, but ranged from 30 Euros (Rs5,777) to 60 Euros (Pak Rs11,555).

In China, according to the Beijing-based Center for International Knowledge on Development, the cost of the COVID-19 nucleic acid test (NAT) was resting between US$ 22 (Pak Rs3,510 ) to US$ 37 (Pak Rs5,903).