The Vavuniya Magistrate's Court has imposed a Rs. 500,000 fine on a private hospital for charging above the government-approved maximum rate for Full Blood Count tests.

A private healthcare facility in Vavuniya has been ordered to pay Rs. 500,000 following a court ruling against price violations. The Vavuniya Magistrate's Court delivered the judgment on July 28 after the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) brought charges under Direction No. 67 of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act.

During an inspection conducted on July 14 at the hospital's location on Hospital Road, CAA investigators discovered that the facility had charged patients Rs. 550 for a Full Blood Count (FBC) test, surpassing the government-established maximum fee of Rs. 400 for this service. The breach represented a 37.5 percent markup over the regulated price.

The case proceeded to court after the district investigation officers of the CAA filed the legal action. The Magistrate's Court reviewed the evidence and imposed the substantial fine as a penalty for the overcharging violation.

In response to the case, the CAA has called on consumers to actively report instances where private hospitals or medical laboratories exceed prescribed fee limits. The authority has established a dedicated hotline, 1977, for such complaints during business hours, encouraging public participation in monitoring healthcare pricing compliance.