The Odisha government on Wednesday capped the price of RT-PCR test, the best available so far for detection of COVID-19, in private laboratories at ₹400, the lowest in the country.
According to a notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department, anyone undergoing the RT-PCR test at private laboratories within the State will now have to pay a maximum of ₹400 including the GST.
The decision followed a reduction in the cost of testing kits and other accessories, a senior official said.
The official hoped that reduction in the price of the test will lead to an increase in testing.
The price of RT-PCR test at private laboratories and hospitals which was initially pegged at ₹4,500, was capped at ₹2,200 in July and ₹ 1,200 in August.
The tests will be conducted by private laboratories under supervision of Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar.
