The two Vietnamese kinds of kits, using RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR, which have been licensed by the Ministry of Health and produced were earlier successfully developed by the Vietnam Military Medical University and the Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company.
COVID-19 test kit of Vietnam is assessed to have high accuracy and ease to use (Photo for illustration).
According to Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac, even in case of widespread epidemic, Vietnam can take the initiative to test patients. Materials for producing 180,000 test kits have been prepared while materials for producing an additional 120,000 test kits are being imported. Meanwhile, the Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company can produce more kits with materials imported from the US and other countries.
The report of the Ministry of Science and Technology shows that Vietnamese real-time RT-PCR kits have more advantages (faster results, easier to use) than those from the US. “The quality of the kits receive good feedback from users,” the report says.
General Director of Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company, Mr. Phan Quoc Viet, said that first, the kits will be exported to Iran, Finland, Malaysia and Ukraine. “ Iran has ordered 200,000 kits, Ukraine 15,000 kits,” he added.
On the domestic market, Hanoi ordered 200,000 kits to use for Hanoi's needs and export to Italy as presents.
Currently, Vietnam has 30 facilities that can test for COVID-19, of which, the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, the Pasteur Institute - Ho Chi Minh City, and Pasteur Institute - Nha Trang, are recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Scientists are also asking the Ministry of Health to license more labs to conduct tests, to help accelerate the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients./.