Lack of test kits, manpower slow down testing capacity for COVID-19
Published May 18, 2020 8:27:12 PM
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 18) – The lack of test kits and enough manpower in laboratories contribute to the backlogs in the country’s testing capacity for COVID-19, said a social development worker.
Senior policy adviser of Thinkwell Philippines Marife Yap, a private consulting agency to the Department of Health, said laboratories are only using one kind of reverse transmission-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test kit, which is imported from abroad and usually takes two to three weeks before they arrive.
“Una sa lahat may mga laboratoryo na may mga makina na nangangailangan ng iisang uri lamang ng RNA extraction kits or PCR kits. Hindi lahat ng nasa merkado ay pwedeng gamitin ng mga laboratoryo natin,” said Yap during DOH’s daily virtual presser.
[Translation: First of all, there are laboratories with machines that require only one type of RNA extraction kits or PCR kits. Not everything available in the market can be used by our laboratories.]
“Medyo hirap tayo kumuha, kasi karamihan nito ay inaangkat pa sa ibang bansa. Nakikipag-kumpetensya tayo sa ibang bansa na nangangailangan ng test kits na ito,” she added.
[Translation: It’s kind of difficult to acquire, because most of these kits are imported from abroad. We are competing with other countries which also need these test kits.]
An RT-PCR test is recommended by the World Health Organization and can detect the presence of the actual coronavirus in swab samples. The test is done through a manual process and usually takes up to eight hours.
Further, as more local government units conduct target testing, laboratories are getting overwhelmed with the number of samples they receive.
“Meron din limitasyon yung mga tao natin, hindi pwedeng madaliin ang proseso na ito. At kung wala kayong automatic extractor, tao ang gagawa noon. At kung hindi pa ganoon kasanay, maingat na maingat talaga kailangan yun,” said Yap.
[Translation: We only have a limited number of people, we cannot hurry the process. If you don’t have any automatic extractor, people would do it. And if they are not yet familiar with the process, they should be very careful.]
“Yung ating mga laboratories medyo nao-overwhelm sila sa dami ng samples, kaya di rin sila nakakatapos.”
[Translation: Our laboratories are getting overwhelmed with the large of number of samples, that’s why the cannot finish them all.]
Despite these problems in the country’s testing capacity, Yap noted that some laboratories are asking for the assistance of other laboratories in finishing the backlogs, at the same time, they are trying to double their time and manpower as much as possible.
The Department of Health is targeting to conduct 30,000 tests daily for COVID-19.
Currently, there are 30 licensed laboratories conducting an RT-PCR test.
