A number of countries have placed orders for Covid-19 test kits produced by Viet Nam, according to Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac.

A SARS-CoV-2 test kit developed by the Military Medical University and Viet A Corporation.

Speaking at a working session between representatives from the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Ha Noi on Tuesday, Mr Tac said Viet Nam is one of the few countries in the world producing SARS-CoV-2 test kits.

The test kits, which were developed by the Military Medical University and Viet A Corporation, and have been approved by the MoH, can detect the novel coronavirus in specimens of droplets obtained from the respiratory tract and blood samples.

The timescale for results including the preparation time for the specimen is two hours.

Viet Nam is able to make dozens of test kits per day at a cost of about VNĐ500,000 (US$21.5) for a single test.

Even if the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, the country can rely on its own kits, Tac said, adding that local scientists have made great contributions to disease control.

Phan Quoc Viet, director of Viet A Corporation said more than 10 countries, including Belgium, Australia, Poland, Ukraine, Ireland and Turkey have expressed interest in purchasing the products.

The Ha Noi authorities have ordered 4,000 kits for their own use and to present to hospitals in Italy – which is one of Europe’s biggest hotspot for COVID-19, he said.

Other Vietnamese scientists are also developing test kits for SARS-CoV-2.

Notably, the National Institute for Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) said it was evaluating test kits developed by the Ha Noi University of Science and Technology.

These kits use simple thermal blocks, instead of using real-time PCR machines. With the production cost of less than VND2 million ($86), it is expected to help save money and human resources in the process of testing.

NIHE is assisting the university in assessing and providing scientific evidence, thus helping researchers complete their work.

Source: VNS