The Maharashtra government on Saturday slashed the price cap on COVID-19 tests in private laboratories from ₹4,500 to ₹2,800 for home collection of samples. If samples are collected from the hospitals, the price cap has been fixed at ₹2,200.
Health Minister Rajesh Tope said that there was a growing demanding on slashing the cost of tests so that it becomes affordable for individuals.
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“We had set up a committee to look into the pricing. They studied all the aspects and have derived at this pricing,” said Mr Tope through a video released him. “There is availability of testing kits now and the price of kits has also come down. Therefore, laboratories should not look at profiteering,” he said.
Maharashtra has carried out over 6.2 lakh tests so far. Of these, 2.4 lakh tests have been carried out in Mumbai. There are a total of 95 laboratories in the State of which 53 are government-run and 42 are privately run.
