Health

Ministry plans to conduct COVID-19 tests locally

February 21, 2020 9:36 am

The Health Ministry is planning to conduct COVID-19 tests locally within the next month.

Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says at present they’re sending test samples to the World Health Organization Laboratory in Melbourne, Australia with each test costing $4000.

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Dr Waqainabete says they’re working in collaboration with international organisations on ways to quickly identify COVID-19 instead of sending out samples elsewhere to be tested.

“We are using budget provision that are been budgeted for the Fiji Centre for Disease Control from the Fiji Government. As I have alluded to, we have molecular testing which is similar to what’s been used for COVID-19 within the FCDC and we’ve been in discussion with WHO and recently with the US Centre for Disease Control and we hope to be able to test this locally within the next one or two weeks.”

The Health Minister says the Fiji Centre for Disease Control at the moment have two modes of testing that allows them to identify other virus based illnesses.

“Serological testing, dengue, chikungunya, leptospirosis, measles and rotavirus. Molecular diagnosis, dengue, chikungunya, zika, leptospirosis, measles, rubella, influenza and meningococcal virus.” 

Dr Waqainabete says it’s important that COVID-19 test to be conducted locally not only for immediate result but to save money as well.