Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) spokesperson Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles has assured the public on Sunday that the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) test kits being used in hospitals around the country are consistent with the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and comply with the strict standards of the country’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that these can accurately identify individuals who are infected by the coronavirus.
“In addition to this, all testing kits the government uses––whether they are given by members of the international community or donated by charitable organizations and individuals––are vetted by the RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine),” said the Palace official.
According to Nograles, these include the 2,000 BGI RT-PCR test kits initially donated by the Chinese government, as well as the 100,000 Sansure RT-PCR test kits.
“All testing kits the government uses are vetted by the RITM.”
“Sinisigurado po ng gobyerno na lahat ng test kits na gagamitin sa ating mga ospital ay maaasahan at maayos. We want to assure everyone that we will only use kits that we have properly reviewed and determined to be accurate and dependable,” stressed Nograles.
Nograles reiterated that the government is grateful for the generosity extended by the international community and generous groups and individuals that have donated other supplies aside from COVID-19 test kits.
Aside from thanking the Chinese government, Nograles said the government is also thanking all countries that have provided the country with additional test kits and supplies, such as the governments of Brunei, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore.
It has likewise received donations from private groups like the Udenna Foundation from South Korea.
Nograles pointed out that “it would be helpful moving forward if groups or organizations that plan to donate testing kits to the country secure the types of kits that have already been approved by the Department of Health.”
“This way, these testing kits can be deployed faster, as opposed to different types of kits that may have to be thoroughly evaluated before they can be used.”