Abu Dhabi fines health care facility for altering price of COVID-19 PCR test

Abu Dhabi: The Department of Health — Abu Dhabi (DoH) has fined a health care facility in the emirate for changing the price of a COVID-19 PCR test, which has been fixed at Dh65 for a single run.

The Dh65 price in the emirate includes collection and testing of the sample, according to circular No 35 of 2021, the health care regulator announced on a tweet on Monday.

“The DoH accordingly called on all health care facilities to adhere to the fixed prices of the COVID-19 OCR test, and warns those who impose any additional fees or [offer] discounts on the test,” the authority added.

Who bears cost

The DoH further explained that the cost of the PCR test must be borne by individuals who are asymptomatic when requesting the test. The cost of the test is covered under government-funded programmes for other people who present with symptoms, it added.

Seha alert

Last week, the emirate’s public health provider, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha) confirmed that the price of the COVID-19 PCR test had not changed across its facilities. It further urged residents to rely on official channels for their information, stressing that any changes in the price of the PCR test would be officially announced.