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Covid-19: Rajasthan slashes rate of RT-PCR test at private labs
The state government decided to slash the rate of test from ₹2,200 to ₹1,200 after consulting senior doctors and other experts, said the health minister
The Rajasthan health department slashed the rate of RT-PCR (reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction) test at private labs by ₹1,000 on Tuesday. RT-PCR is the confirmatory test for Covid-19.
According to a notification by department’s principal secretary Akhil Arora, the government decided to slash the rate from ₹2,200 to ₹1,200 in view of drop in prices of testing kit, reagents, VTM kits and other consumables. The state also considered the rates of the test in other states.
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Health minister Raghu Sharma said the decision was taken after consultation with senior doctors of SMS Medical College and other experts. RT-PCR tests are done at 35 labs in Rajasthan, including those at government facilities. The test is done free of cost at government labs.
“Exercising powers under section 4 of the Rajasthan Epidemic Diseases Ordinance, 2020, the rate of RT-PCR tests is fixed at ₹1,200, including all taxes, at NABL accredited and ICMR approved labs,” the notification said.
It said any violation of this notification shall be punishable under section 5 of the ordinance.
