COVID-19 PCR test for Dhs150, down from Dhs250 in private health centres

Iman Abdullah Al Ali, Staff Reporter

The Ministry of Health and Prevention has decided to modify the fee for COVID-19 PCR test to become Dhs150, down from the previous fee of Dhs250 in the private health sector supervised by the ministry.

In a letter to the health facilities and labs offering the COVID-19 PCR test, the ministry affirmed that the new fee includes collecting and analysing the nasal swab, stressing the importance for all entities to combine efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19, abide by the new fee and ease the provision of health services to the public.

Meanwhile, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said the fee of the COVID-19 PCR test in all private sector facilities would not exceed Dhs150 and would cover all services of collecting the nasal swab, making the lab test and issuing the result or the certificate.  

In a circular to all DHA-licensed health facilities, the DHA warned against the imposition of any extra fees such as express testing fees or fees for faster issuance of result, noting that the COVID-19 PCR test is limited to collecting a nasal swab in the DHA-licensed health facilities.

The DHA explained that home COVID-19 PCR test is conducted for a maximum of Dhs250 inclusive of all fees and that no extra fees should be levied. It called on all concerned facilities to abide by these decisions to avoid any liability.

The DHA reduced the COVID-19 PCR test gradually from September from Dhs370 to Dhs250 and then from Dhs250 to Dhs150.

Earlier, the DHA named 17 labs for collecting the COVID-19 PCR tests. These included Agiomix in Al Barsha South 2, Al Zahra Private Hospital in Al Barsha, American Hospital in Oud Metha, CPS Clinical Pathology Services (MenaLab) in Al Quoz 4, Emirates Hospital DHCC Laboratory in DHCC, Eurofins Biominis in Al Bada, Freiburg Medical Laboratory in Al Karama, Iranian Hospital Lab in Al Bada, Latifa Hospital Virology Lab in Oud Metha, Mediclinic Hospitals Group in Dubai, Medsol Dubai medical Laboratory in Al Muraqqabat, National Reference Laboratory in Al Barsha South 2, Pure Health at Dubai Airport, UniLabs Clinical Laboratories in Jumeirah, Star Metropolis Clinical Laboratory in Al Hamriya, Viafet Genomic Laboratory in Al Badaa, and York Diagnostic Laboratories In JLT.