Government has warned individuals, private organisations
and pharmacies that are selling unapproved Covid-19 rapid test kits that do not
comply with Ministry of Health and Child Care, and World Health Organisation
(WHO) specifications and protocols, saying such tests may produce erroneous
results.
Private companies and some pharmacies have been selling
unapproved rapid Covid-19 test kits online in Zimbabwe.
Speaking to The Herald yesterday, Health and Child Care
Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo said the sale of these unregistered kits was illegal
and whoever is involved in such has to stop immediately as all rapid test kits
have to be initially evaluated for their specificity and sensitivity by the
National Micro Biology Reference Laboratory.
“It has come to our attention that there are a number of
individuals, organisations and pharmacies that are selling unregistered
coronavirus test kits.
“As Government, we strongly condemn this because these
organisations are not following the WHO laid down specifications,” said Dr
Moyo.
Dr Moyo said plans were underway to have testing centres
across the country’s 10 provinces and at all border posts.
“We are setting up coronavirus testing centres in each
province, down to the districts as well as all border entry points. These will
be manned by our trained health officials and it will come a long way in
detecting Covid-19.”
The minister reiterated that the ministry will follow the
WHO protocol of testing those who fall within the case definition of the
coronavirus as well as testing those who would have travelled from Covid-19
affected countries and their contacts.
However, individuals who want to confirm their Covid-19
status are not restricted and can be tested at registered healthcare facilities
that utilise approved Covid-19 testing systems.
“The practice of being tested at unregistered facilities
poses the danger of coming up with inaccurate results. As an example, if
someone erroneously tests negative while in actual fact they are positive they will
then spread the virus thinking that they are safe until their clinical picture
changes.”
“Likewise if someone erroneously tests positive through use
of unapproved rapid test kits, they will be put in a situation where they will
be unnecessarily psychologically affected and labelled as a Covid-19 carrier
and will end up following unnecessary clinical management protocols.”
“There is talk that our figures (of people) who have been
tested are low as compared to other countries. We are testing only those
presenting with symptoms synonymous with coronavirus case definition.”
Currently, the Government is using a testing protocol
referred to as polymerase (PCR) chain
reaction methods which takes at least five hours for the results to come out.
This is however, the gold standard and definitive method.
The ministry has finalised the mapping of testing centres
which will see the whole country being availed with Covid-19 testing facilities
down to district level.
The Covid-19 testing algorithm will normally allow for
initial rapid testing and if someone tests positive, their sample will be sent
for testing utilising the PCR method. Herald
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