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Pangilinan asks DOH: Why favor China, S. Korea COVID-19 test kits over PH-made units?

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Katrina Domingo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/03/18/20200312-coronavirus-up-test-kit-md-4643.jpg"/><figcaption>Philippine Genome Center deputy executive director Dr. Raul Destura presents a sample of the locally-developed COVID-19 test kit from the UP-National Institutes of Health during a press briefing on COVID-19 at the Philippine Genome Center in Quezon City on March 12, 2020. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Monday questioned why the government seemed to favor foreign-made coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test kits, alleging that the imported units did not undergo &quot;rigid evaluation&quot; compared to locally-produced ones.The Department of Health (DOH) still opted to use COVID-19 test kits from China and South Korea even when the Filipino-made GenAmplify RT-PCR test kits cost half the price, Pangilinan said in a statement.&quot;Ang sabi sa atin ng mga insiders sa DOH, walang kahirap-hirap ang mga imported test kits, samantalang pinahirapan talaga itong gawa ng Pinoy,&quot; he said.(According to our insiders in the DOH, imported test kits did not undergo rigid evaluation, while Filipino-made test kits were really scrutinized.)&quot;Kung hindi pa natin kinalampag nung isang araw baka umabot pa nang taon bago gamitin,&quot; the opposition senator said.(If we did not call for its use over the weekend, maybe it would take years before the Filipino-made test kits could be used.)The DOH should explain why it did not prioritize the use and mass production of the more affordable Filipino-made COVID-19 test kits, Pangilinan said.The locally-manufactured COVID-19 test kits were from the UP National Institutes of Health and funded by the Department of Science and Technology.The locally-produced test kits are priced at P1,320, while the units from South Korea and China are priced between P4,000 and P8,000, the opposition senator noted.&quot;As concerned as we are for the health of the Filipinos, we are also keenly looking after the well-being of our state coffers,&quot; Pangilinan said.&quot;Every peso of meaningful, honest, and transparent spending and saving will go a long way, especially amid an economic crisis,&quot; he said.&quot;May kumikita ba at nakikinabang sa mas mahal na imported test kits?&quot; he asked.(Are there people who profit and benefit from acquiring more expensive and imported test kits?)In May, the Food and Drug Administration said that the GenAmplify RT-PCR test kits had to be recalled and had to undergo revalidation due to contamination.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/21/20/up-developed-test-kits-recalled-due-to-contamination-fda">UP-developed test kits recalled due to contamination: FDA</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/20/20/doh-says-up-developed-test-kits-to-undergo-re-validation-after-minor-correction">DOH says UP-developed test kits to undergo re-validation after ‘minor’ correction</a></li></ul>Pangilinan is expected to inquire about the DOH&#x27;s &quot;expenses for the rapid and PCR test kits&quot; during the 2021 budget deliberations in the coming months.In May, Sen. Panfilo Lacson raised concerns over what he described as a &quot;pattern of overpricing&quot; in the DOH&#x27;s procurement of medical equipment related to response to the COVID-19 pandemic. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/21/20/lacson-sees-pattern-of-overpricing-in-procurement-of-covid-19-equipment-vows-day-of-reckoning">READ: Lacson sees &#x27;pattern of overpricing&#x27; in procurement of COVID-19 equipment, vows day of reckoning</a></li></ul>

Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Monday questioned why the government seemed to favor foreign-made coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test kits, alleging that the imported units did not undergo "rigid evaluation" compared to its locally-produced counterparts.

Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Monday questioned why the government seemed to favor foreign-made coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test kits, alleging that the imported units did not undergo "rigid evaluation" compared to its locally-produced counterparts.

Pangilinan asks DOH: Why favor China, S. Korea COVID-19 test kits over PH-made units?

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Pangilinan asks DOH: Why favor China, S. Korea COVID-19 test kits over PH-made units?

Katrina Domingo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 21, 2020 12:19 PM PHT

|

Updated Jul 21, 2020 12:35 PM PHT

Read More:

Kiko Pangilinan

DOH

Department of Health

COVID-19

coronavirus disease 2019

health

test kits

COVID-19 test kits

GenAmplify RT-PCR test kit

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