JENEWA, KOMPAS.com – World Health Organization ( WHO) will launch the tool immediately rapid test cheap, to help poorer countries detect more corona virus.
With a cost of around Rp. 70,000 per test, the program, which has been funded up to 600 million Australian dollars or around Rp. 6 trillion, is expected to start in October.
Rapid test considered less accurate, but able to give faster results than the test swab known as the PCR test which is already widely used in developed countries.
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This test will be used to track down antigens or proteins that can be found on the surface of the virus.
The standard PCR test requires laboratory equipment and special chemicals with results that will not be known after a few days.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the latest program as “good news” in the fight against Covid-19.
Also read: WHO Will Launch 120 Million Covid-19 Rapid Tests To Poor Countries
“This test will give reliable results in 15 to 30 minutes, rather than hours or days, at lower prices and less sophisticated equipment,” he said.
“This will allow expansion testing especially in hard-to-reach areas that do not have laboratory facilities or do not have medical personnel who can do this PCR test.”
“We have reached an agreement, we already have the initial capital, and now we need full funds to buy this test kit.”
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Testing is useful, but not everything
Catharina Boehme Executive Director of the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics said, rapid test will be provided in 20 African countries and its implementation will depend on the existing health group.
He said the laboratory tests would be carried out by SD Biosensor and Abbott.
Peter Sands Executive Director of the Global Fund, a partner organization involved in fighting the pandemic, said he would provide an initial fund of IDR 750 billion as an initial part of the mechanism to fight Covid-19.
He said this test would be an “important step” to help deal with the coronavirus.
“This is not a substitute for PCR but an additional weapon that we have, although it is less accurate, but the results are faster, cheaper and do not need a special laboratory,” he said.
Many developed countries also still have difficulty carrying out accurate tests, even if they are not a solution for a pandemic.
Countries such as France and the United States are having trouble getting test results, and rapid tests conducted in Britain and Spain have turned out to be inaccurate.
However, testing in poor countries will be intended so that health workers can identify the spread of the virus and then contain it.
Peter said developed countries currently have 292 tests per 100,000 population, while poorer countries can only do 14 tests per 100,000 people.
He said the 120 million tests available would increase test availability, but that is really only a small fraction of what poor countries really need today.
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