(Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

 

The chairman of Thailand’s Rural Doctor Society (RDS), Dr. Supat Hasuwankit yesterday (Monday) wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, reminding him of the recent cabinet decision that the 8.5 million rapid antigen test kits (ATK), to be procured by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) through the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, must meet the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

 

In the letter, Dr. Supat, who is also director of Jana Hospital in the southern province of Songkhla, mentioned the benefits of ATKs in the screening of people, to separate those infected with COVID-19 from the others at lower costs and at greater speed than RT-PCR testing and that they will speed up the access to treatment for the infected.

 

Regarding cost savings, Dr. Supat said that the average cost of RT-PCR per case is about 1,800 baht and, if 1,000 high-risk people are to be tested, the total cost will be about 1.8 million baht. If, however, ATKs costing about 120 baht a piece plus a 10 baht service fee are used, the total cost for the testing of 1,000 people will cost about 130,000 baht. If 100 of those people test positive for COVID-19 and need confirmation tests through RT-PCR process, the cost will amount to 180,000.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/rural-doctor-society-insists-atks-being-bought-by-nhso-must-meet-who-standards/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-08-24

 

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Ostland passes over govt bid, will import Lepu test kits for direct sale to public

 

Ostland Capital Ltd, the company which won the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation’s (GPO) bid for procurement of 8.5 million antigen test kits (ATK) manufactured by Beijing-based Lepu Medical Technology at Bt70 apiece, will pass over the deal with the government and instead import the kits with its partner, World Medical Alliance Ltd.

 

“Ostland had given Lepu a THB30-million deposit and cannot wait for a government answer on the deal, which is currently on hold,” World Medical Alliance president Siriya Thepcharoen said on Monday.

 

“We will therefore import the 8.5 million ATK sets by ourselves and will sell these directly to the public at Bt75 per piece, only Bt5 higher than the quoted price,” she said.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40005178

It´s good! Put pressure on them to meet up against earlier decisions.

18 hours ago, webfact said:

The chairman of Thailand’s Rural Doctor Society (RDS), Dr. Supat Hasuwankit yesterday (Monday) wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, reminding him of the recent cabinet decision that the 8.5 million rapid antigen test kits (ATK), to be procured by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) through the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, must meet the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

If they are not of a required standard how/why are they available on the open market?