BHOPAL: The government has caped RT-PCR rate for the first time after the second wave of corona in the state. The government has reduced the rate from Rs 1500 to Rs 700 for the private pathology labs.
The revision comes in the backdrop of increase in Covid cases in the state. As delayed testing by positive patients has increased the burden on hospitals, the govt wants to increase testing and contact tracing to reduce the caseload. "If samples are collected from residence, additional Rs 200 will be charged and it will include conveyance charge, consumable, PPE kit, and other taxes. Similarly, the rate for Rapid Antigen test is kept at Rs300 and in case samples are collected from residence, additional Rs 200 will have to be paid by patients. Last year, the rate was reduced from Rs 3400 to Rs 1500 for RT-PCR in private labs and hospitals. Other states reduced rate quite earlier while in MP, rate of RT-PCR was reduced after one and half-month of the second wave and during this period, private pathology labs and hospitals minted money from patients as patients had no option but to cough off money in the name of testing.
