Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government on Wednesday decided to cut the RT-PCR test rate carried out by the private laboratory to Rs 400 from the existing RS 700.
For RT-PCR samples collected from homes or hospitals, private laboratories cannot charge more than Rs 550, reduction of RS 350 from the existing level RS 900, Deputy Minister of the Chief Nitin Patel told reporters.
Patel, who holds a health portfolio, also said the RT-PCR test carried out by private laboratories for passengers at the airport in the state will now cost Rs 2,700, reduction of RS 1,300 available.
Further Patel said the center of personal radiology could not charge more than RS 2,500 for high resolution CT (HRCT) scanning.
The fixed cost by the government for HRCT scanning is Rs 3,000, he said.
HRCT scanning is very important to ensure Covid-19 infection in patients.
The decision to reduce the RT-PCR test rate has been remembered on the decline in the price of the kit used in this test and as part of the state government preparation for the possibility of the third wave of pandemics, he added.
“The state government conducts RT-PCR tests for free.
So far.
The government has reduced numbers on two occasions in the past.
The price of the kit used in the RT-PCR test also fell.
So the government’s core committee decided to cut test costs,” said Patel.
He said the Ministry of Health had launched steps to overcome the possibility of the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
“The first thing must be ascertained if a patient is Covid-19 positive or not is a RT-PCR test,” Patel added.
The minister further said the state government will buy a CT scan and MRI machines for various government hospitals and medical colleges at Rs 112 Crore.
Kaseload Covid-19 Gujarat was at 8,24,774 on Tuesday, according to the State Health Department.