Amidst the people’s worry on the efficiency of the recently donated Antibody-Based Rapid Test Kits, Provincial Health Officer Mary Ann Navarro explains that the confirmatory test for COVID-19 cases in Palawan will remain to be determined by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
In a phone interview of Palawan Daily News (PDN with Dr. Navarro, she said that the 800 pieces rapid test kits that were donated by Gov. Jose Alvarez’ Chinese friend will be used only for monitoring of PUIs with mild and moderate symptoms and the molecular testing in diagnosing the COVID-19 cases remains the “gold standard.”
‘GOLD STANDARD’ RETAINS
In a posted article of PDN last April 3, the same date of arrival of the said items, many netizens have expressed their opinions, questions and worries in the effectivity and accuracy of the product upon knowing that those are China made.
“Yung RT-PCR, ‘yun pa rin ang gold standard. ‘Yun ang sure tayo na ‘pag nag-positive doon, may COVID-19 talaga ‘yung mga tao,” Navarro said, as a reaction also for the open letter by Philippine Society of Pathologists, Inc. dated April 2 of which they said that rapid test kits, although may seem as answers for the crisis, but will only give false-negative results which is very dangerous.
“So, ibig sabihin, masasabi nito kung nagkaroon ba ng COVID-19 infection ‘yung tao pero ‘pag nag-positive sa infection, iko-confirm pa rin ng RITM ‘yan,” she assured the public.
Navarro said that those kits will be still useful in monitoring frontliners with symptoms or without symptoms after they had been exposed to PUIs or even the PUIs with the same category. After five (5) or seven (7) days when a person had been determined to be as PUI, she added that they can use the kits to determine if the said patients have already developed antibodies which mean that they might be positive with COVID-19.
“Di ba ‘yung ngayon, ‘yung RT-PCR na galing sa DOH, di ba ang pina-prioritize lang ay ‘yung mga PUI with moderate or severe symptoms na naka-admit sa ating mga hospitals? Delikado kasi na di natin tini-test ang PUI na…nasa bahay; paano kung mag-break sila ng quarantine? So, malaking bagay ‘yung test kits na kahit presumptive, kahit hindi confirmatory, kapag may makitang IgM doon ay mamilit talaga kaming i-test siya ng RT-PCR at saka sa frontliners natin kung nahawa ba [sila] o hindi,”she explained.
The PHO chief said that the donated items are from Healgen Scientific Limited Liability Company, with company address at Houston, Texas, USA. She said that those products were made by a Chinese company but it based in the United States of America.
She also noted that there are test kits accredited by the DOH that are made by Chinese companies.
“Ang kunti lang [kasi] ng test kits na available ng DOH [ngayon]. Dito lang medyo dumami… dinagdagan na rin, dati ang RITM lang [ang nagte-test ng mga PUIs specimen]. So, may mga sub-national laboratories [na rin ngayon]. Pero still, hirap dito sa Palawan kasi pina-fly out pa natin [ang mga specimen sa RITM],” she explained.
Dr. Mary Ann Navarro likewise said that they also consulted the infections disease specialists in the province and they said that those kits are not intended for confirmatory purposes.
“Inaral namin nang husto ‘yan, tapos kinunsulta ko rin sa Palawan Medical Society [at kinumpirma nilang] hindi nga ang mga ‘yan na pang-diagnostic pero it would help us,” she said.
The Antibody-based (IgM/IgG) Rapid Test Kits will be given to Ospital ng Palawan (ONP), Provincial Health Office (PHO), City Health Office (CHO), and in Roxas Medicare Hospital and Bataraza District Hospital, the COVID-19 Hospitals dedicated for asymptomatic PUIs and with mild symptoms.
FINALIZING THE PROTOCOL FOR TEST KITS
As of this writing, PHO Navarro said that they are now finalizing a protocol and it will be available this Sunday or by Monday.
“Gumagawa pa kami ng protocol. Isa-cite [namin] sa Protocol na hindi iyon confirmatory baka sabihin niyan ‘Ay negative ‘to’ at magkampante na ‘yung tao tapos mali pala ‘yung timing na kinuha [ang test]. Kasi sa DOH protocol nga, day five to 21; ang gagawin nga namin, mga day five to seven kasi doon mag-i-start na lalabas ang immunity ng tao,” she further said.
The head of PHO also announced that they are eyeing to use the Detect-TB machine for COVID-19 testing and assured everyone that they will do it according to Biosafety Level 2 procedures.
“Mayroon na tayong PCR machine, pero ‘yun nga, ang test kits na para sa COVID-19, galing sa US pa. So, kinorner na ng DOH at PBSP ‘yung purchase [ngayon], kung makakabili raw kami [sabi ng supplier], next batch pa kami,” she explained.