Can’t pay upfront for a COVID-19 test? Here’s where you can get tested for free

Merge 104.8  |  28 June 2020

Some expats in Oman are expressing their frustration online over the increasing price of COVID-19 tests in private hospitals in the Sultanate, saying that some health centres charge up to OMR 70 per test.

However, Dr Mazin Al Khabouri, Director General of Private Health Institutions at the Ministry of Health (MoH) said that the government has allocated a number of venues to test people with symptoms free of charge, and open to both Omanis and expats.

Speaking to Merge 104.8’s sister station Al Wisal, he explained that health insurance only covers costs of bedridden patients, as agreed with the MoH. “Globally, insurance offices are not obliged to cover costs of a certain service during a pandemic or natural disaster,” he said. “[For example], during Cyclone Gonu, they did not cover vehicle damages.”

Al Khabouri added that private hospitals have been asked to direct patients who can’t afford the cost to these free centres. He also said, that, at the beginning of the pandemic in March, four private hospitals in Ruwi were also providing free tests: Badr al Sama, Abeer Hospital, NMC, and Apollo. “The government was refunding them later,” he said.

However, this stopped after the Ministry opened a number of free testing centres around Muscat, he explained. Dr. Al Khabouri also said that a basic test costs between OMR 45 and OMR 50, and that some private hospitals charge more as part of equipment and staff-related costs. He said that prices for tests will drop soon as the MoH has approved a new COVID-19 testing kit that will cost only OMR 10, and will soon reach the Sultanate.

Currently, the following centres in Muscat offer free COVID-19 testing services:

  • Muttrah (Medical Stamina Centre) Near Majan College
  • Al Seeb (Medical Stamina Centre) in Al Sharadi near the Health Service Centre and another centre in Al Rusayl
  • Bousher (Ghala area next to Holiday Inn – Kimji Complex)

The centres are open between 8:30 am and 1:00 pm from Sunday until Thursday. All expatriates have to provide a document that has a name of the company they work in, or to be accompanied by a representative from the company, or to show Work Permit/Card or Residency card.

In case the Residency Card is not available, they shall provide their phone number.