No Govt Notification: COVID-19 Test Remains A Costly Affair In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: With the state government yet to issue a notification on the cost of the COVID-19 test, private hospitals and laboratories continue to charge hefty amount for it.

Though the government had declared to reduce the cost of the test by almost 50 per cent, private laboratories are charging Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,000 per RT-PCR test on the ground that no formal notification has been issued.

“We have not received any notification about the price of test from the Government,” TNIE quoted an official of a private hospital. The price includes collection, transportation of samples, documentation and reporting, he added.

However, Additional Chief Secretary of Health department PK Mohapatra said the notification will be issued within a day or two.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had told that medical practitioners, including private doctors, can prescribe COVID-19 test to anyone fulfilling the criteria.

Also Read: Zydus Cadilla Now Gets DCGI Nod To Start Human Trials Of COVID-19 Vaccine