On Wednesday, the Odisha government capped the price of RT-PCR tests, the best available so far for the detection of COVID-19, in private laboratories to Rs 400, the lowest in the country.
According to a notification issued by the department of health and family welfare, anyone who undergoes the RT-PCR test in private laboratories within the state will now have to pay a maximum of 400 rupees, including GST.
The decision followed a reduction in the cost of test kits and other accessories, a senior official said.
The cost of an RT-PCR kit is now Rs 46 instead of Rs 1200 before, while that of the RNA extraction kit is also down, and labs have to spend a maximum of Rs 200 for the cost of the kits and accessories. he said.
The official hoped that the reduction in the price of the test would lead to an increase in testing.
The price of RT-PCR testing in private laboratories and hospitals, which was initially set at Rs 4,500, was capped at Rs 2,200 in July and Rs 1,200 in August.
The tests will be conducted by private laboratories under the supervision of the Regional Medical Research Center (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, following ICMR (Indian Medical Research Council) guidelines, according to the notification.
The state has four ICMR-approved laboratories where RT-PCR testing can be performed.
The state government also plans to reduce the price of rapid antigen tests from the current 450 rupees.
Both tests are performed in government laboratories and hospitals at no cost.
RT-PCR tests in private laboratories in Uttar Pradesh were recently limited to Rs 700 and Rs 800 in Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
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