COLOMBO : The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has published a Gazette Extraordinary to stipulate maximum prices of RT-PCR tests and Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT).
Accordingly, private healthcare facilities will be allowed to charge only Rs. 6,500 per RT-PCR test and Rs. 2,000 per Rapid Antigen Test.
As per the communiqué issued by CAA Chairman, Major General (Rtd.) Shantha Dissanayake, the order comes into effect from Thursday,Aug. 12.
State Minister of Consumer Protection Lasantha Alagiyawanna has requested the public to contact the hotline 1977 to inform of any healthcare facility violating the aforementioned order.
The decision to stipulate maximum prices on COVID tests was taken after heeding the complaints received by the Health Ministry and the CAA regarding the exorbitant prices charged by private healthcare facilities.
Upon looking into the matter, it was revealed that a minimum price of Rs. 5,550 and a maximum price of Rs. 9,550 was charged for a RT-PCR test. Meanwhile, the minimum and maximum prices for a RAT were Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 5,550, respectively.
Thereby, as a solution for this, a recommendation report of the Health Ministry on fixed prices for COVID testing was handed over by Minister Wanniarachchi and State Minister Alagiyawanna Wednesday (Aug. 11) .
