Odisha slashes Covid-19 test rate at private labs to Rs 1,200

The Odisha government on Tuesday slashed the maximum price of RT-PCR tests for Covid-19 to be charged by private laboratories to Rs 1,200, an official said.

The State Government on July 3 had capped the rate of RT-PCR tests at private laboratories at Rs 2,200.

The Rs 1,000 reduction in rates is aimed at stepping up testing in the state, the official said.

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Initially, the private laboratories were charging Rs 4,000-4,500 per test.

"The government after careful consideration has been pleased to refix the maximum price of RT-PCR Covid-19 test @ Rs 1,200 (inclusive of GST and all other incidental charges)", as per a notification issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department.

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Four private laboratories in the state have received the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approval for conducting Covid-19 tests. These are Apollo Hospital, IMS & SUM Hospital, InDNA Life Sciences-KIIT and GenX Diagnostics.

All these private laboratories are located in Bhubaneswar.