DOH addressing labs’ delayed submission of COVID-19 test results

A health worker conducts a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) swab testing at a gymnasium in Navotas City, Metro Manila, Philippines in this file photo. (REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday vowed to improve data collation and transmission of COVID-19 test results as it disclosed that up to 12 laboratories fail to submit data on time. 

“We are averaging about 10 to 12 laboratories na hindi nakakapag submit (that are unable to submit),” DOH spokesperson and Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media forum.

Vergeire said theDOH is closely working with the testing laboratories to facilitate the prompt submission of test results. 

She, however, clarified that there are several reasons that can cause a delay in submission. 

“Pag bago pa lang ang mga lab, we give transition na mga isang linggo bago makapag bigay submission because they are still fixing their system,” she said. 

(We give new laboratories a one-week transition period before they submit results because they are still fixing their system.)

She added that some laboratories follow their own system. For such laboratories, an interface system is necessary to relay data to DOH’s COVID-19 trackers: COVIDKaya and COVID-19 Data Repository System (CDRS). 

Meanwhile, other laboratories suspend operations on weekends for scheduled disinfection and maintenance. 

Vergeire  also said that they have previously received advisories from laboratories that are experiencing technical difficulties.

“Merong mga laboratoryo in the past days na nagbigay ng abiso sa amin na nagkaroon ng mga problema o isyu yung kanilang mga equipment na kailangan mag maintain, kailangan ma-recalibrate,” said Vergeire.

(In the past days, there are laboratories informed us that there are issues with their equipment and might need maintenance and recalibration.)

“Di sila nakakapag submit kapag ganon,” she added. 

(They cannot submit data when that happens.)

She also cited the lack of manpower as a factor in the transmission of test results.

“Yung ibang lab hanggang ngayon they still don’t have their dedicated encoders. So yung mga nag po-proseso ng mga test sa lab sila din ang expected na mag encode ng submissions na kailangan i-upload sa CDRS,” she said

(Some labs still don’t have their dedicated encoders. So, those who are processing the tests are also expected to encode the submissions that are needed to be uploaded to the CDRS.)

Vergeire said the DOH is communicating with the testing laboratories to improve their data submission systems.

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