Quiapo health center asked to explain improper disposal of COVID test kits

MANILA, Philippines — A health facility in Quiapo, Manila was asked to respond to the allegation of improper disposal of several rapid test kits for COVID-19, the city government said on Wednesday.

The Manila government’s Bureau of Permits under officer-in-charge Levi Facundo served a show cause order against the Quiapo-based health facility after reports of several rapid test kits were found scattered along M. Dela Fuente Street in Sampaloc on Tuesday night.

“You are hereby ordered to show cause in writing within a period of three days from receipt of a copy hereof and to explain why administrative charges should not be filed against you,” read the order.

The local government said in its letter that the facility violated the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 for improper transport and disposal of the test kits which poses harm to the public’s health.

The facility also violated the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 for “mishandling and littering of used rapid test kits,” which contains infectious substance.

In a video shared by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, a bicycle with a sidecar accidentally dropped garbage bags with used rapid test kits for COVID-19.

The Department of Public Safety already disposed of the used rapid test kits, Moreno said.

The Department of Health previously said rapid test kits are not stand-alone tests for detecting COVID-19 but it can be used if one has already developed antibodies against the coronavirus disease. Rapid tests collect blood samples from patients instead of swab tests being used for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). [ac]