Issue on UP-developed COVID-19 test kits solved; ready for roll-out soon —DOH

The defect which caused the recall of the COVID-19 test kits developed by the University of the Philippines has been fixed and its roll-out is just around the corner, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday.

In a virtual forum, Vergeire said the kits already secured a special certification from the Food and Drug Administration, and that the DOH has been coordinating with the developers, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and manufacturer Manila Health Tek Lab, Inc.

"Hindi ito ire-recall kung minor ang defect. So mayroon talaga tayong naging issue, deficiency ng ating locally produced test kits... Naiayos nila ang deficiency na iyon," she said.

In April, the DOST said the locally developed test kits are ready for distribution.

However, these were recalled in May after a "minor problem" has been detected during  the validation conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).

"Ngayon nakapagsubmit na sila ng bago, na-validate na ulit ng RITM. Tinutulungan natin sila ngayon para maumpisahan na natin ang paggamit sa piling laboratoryo dito sa ating bansa," Vergeire said.

Stakeholders are just awaiting a final advisory from the DOH before they start using the locally-developed COVID-19 test kits which are cheaper than foreign counterparts.

"May mga kailangan kasing sundin na instructions 'yung laboratories before they can use that. They have to undergo this training, of course, kasi bagong test kit 'yan at kailangan may proficiency test sila for that," Vergeire said.

The DOST previously said that COVID-19 tests using this kit would only cost P1,320 compared to the cost of using imported ones which was initially pegged at around P8,000 in March.

The current price of COVID-19 test in the country hovers around P4,000.—AOL, GMA News