Pinapabayaan lang ni Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque ang mga PCR kits na naimbento ng University of the Philippines-National Institute for Health (UP-NIH) bilang pang-testing sa mga pasyenteng nahawaan ng coronavirus disease 2019.
“The country is ramping up COVID-19 testing, but locally manufactured, world-class P1,320 PCR test kits are gathering dust in laboratories due to the inaction of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III,” ang bahagi ng pinagsamang pahayag nina Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon at Senators Risa Hontiveros at Sen Francis Pangilinan.
Anila, mas mura ito kumpara sa mga imported testing kits mula sa China, at Korea na nagkakahalaga ng P4,000 hanggang P8,000.
Ang mga kits ay ginawa ng mga lokal na scientist at pinondohan ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST) kung saan nitong Disyembre pa nila ito inaral nang mapaulat ang corona-virus 19.
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Sumailalim na rin ito sa mga pagsusuri at may 93.96% sensitivity hanggang 98.04% at may confidence interval na 95%, higit na mas mataas kumpara sa mga inangkat na kits ng Pilipinas.
“What seems to be holding Secretary Duque and the DoH back from giving the go-signal for the use and mass production of this Filipino-made, quality yet less expensive test kit? May kumikita ba sa mas mahal na imported test kit?” pagtatanong ng tatlong senador.
-Leonel Abasola
