Price range, policy on COVID-19 testing to be out next week — DOH

FILE PHOTO: A health worker conducts a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) swab testing at a gymnasium in Navotas City, Metro Manila, Philippines, August 7, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said that the price range and policy regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing and test kits will be released by next week.

In the Laging Handa online press briefing, DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said that it was the directive of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to release the price range and policy by early next week.

Vergeire added that both the DOH and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through a joint administrative order, already have a final draft for the price range for both the COVID-19 testing and test kits.

“Ang pinagta-trabahuan namin ngayon ay simula kahapon and possibly over the weekend ito pong prices kasi meron ho tayong mga survey na nakuha, meron din tayong ginamit na laboratory costing tools na hiniram natin sa WHO (World Health Organization), at tinitignan din po natin yung presyo ng mga testing kits para mas maging accurate ang ating estimation,” Vergeire said.

(What we are working on is starting yesterday and possibly over the weekend, we have obtained a survey, we also used a laboratory costing tool that we borrowed from the WHO, and we are looking at the testing kits so that our estimation will be accurate.)

“And pagkatapos po nan magkakaroon po tayo ng konsultasyon with our stakeholders so that it can be acceptable to everybody,” she added.

(After this, we will have a consultation with our stakeholders so that it can be acceptable to everybody.)

It was President Rodrigo Duterte, through Executive Order No. 118, who ordered the DOH and DTI to put a price cap on COVID-19 testing and test kits to ensure accessibility and affordability.

As per the President’s executive order, compliance with the price range is now part of the requirements for the licensing and accreditation of hospitals, laboratories, and other health facilities as COVID-19 testing centers.

Failure to comply with the price range may be considered as a ground for the revocation of existing licenses and accreditation.

As of Nov. 6, the Philippines has 391,809 COVID-19 cases, with 349,974 recoveries and 7,461 deaths.

/MUF