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Most people in the country’s four southern border provinces, including local hospitals, have rejected the Chinese-made Lepu rapid antigen test kits (ATKs), despite the continuing COVID-19 surge in the region, claimed the Rural Doctor Society of Thailand (RDS).

 

In its Facebook post today (Friday), the RDS said that the National Health Security Office (NHSO), which had procured 8.5 million Lepu ATKs from China at a cost of about one billion baht, have delivered a total of 1,022,500 of them to Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla for free distribution to the public and health facilities, but only 141,988 units, or 14%, were received by people at high-risk who have mild symptoms or who are in close contact with the infected.

 

Of the 141,988 distributed, the results of only 17,135 were returned through the “Pao Tang” app, with only 397 positive results, representing 2.3% of the ATKs distributed.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thai-rural-doctor-society-explains-why-only-14-of-the-lepu-atks-delivered-to-southern-provinces-were-distributed/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-10-22

 

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The Rural Doctor Society of Thailand appear to be the only people with any backbone.

 

Well done them.

it just means more tests left for the rest of the country.

Why they don't take freely distributed tests and even after they take them, they don't report back their results is beyond me.

I have bought the very same tests for 85b at bulk wholesale price. Same tests sold as single are over 200b at pharmacies.

 

Lepu is good as any approved tests.

 

Southerners also reject vax.

It's a religious matter for them. They don't subscribe to darvin theory

5 minutes ago, internationalism said:

it just means more tests left for the rest of the country.

Why they don't take freely distributed tests and even after they take them, they don't report back their results is beyond me.

I have bought the very same tests for 85b at bulk wholesale price. Same tests sold as single are over 200b at pharmacies.

 

Lepu is good as any approved tests.

 

Southerners also reject vax.

It's a religious matter for them. They don't subscribe to darvin theory

It's a matter of ignorance and superstition not religion. KSA had a very early efficient vaccine rollout.

16 minutes ago, internationalism said:

it just means more tests left for the rest of the country.

Why they don't take freely distributed tests and even after they take them, they don't report back their results is beyond me.

I have bought the very same tests for 85b at bulk wholesale price. Same tests sold as single are over 200b at pharmacies.

 

Lepu is good as any approved tests.

 

Southerners also reject vax.

It's a religious matter for them. They don't subscribe to darvin theory

What has poor Darwin to do with this? Leave the poor corpse alone.

14 hours ago, internationalism said:

Why they don't take freely distributed tests and even after they take them, they don't report back their results is beyond me.

If the ATK's are being used at a home location... ie privately and a positive result is shown, the vast majority will stay quiet, self isolate at home or even continue to work as apposed to go to the doctor, report the infection and go to quarantine.

They need to work, not be penned-in for a fortnight.

yes, some people won't report, but some other will do and get payed from their employment while seating home and getting free food and free medicines from health volunteers. Some even can claim insurance.

I don't know this application pao tang, but possibly is anonymous one

31 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

If the ATK's are being used at a home location... ie privately and a positive result is shown, the vast majority will stay quiet, self isolate at home or even continue to work as apposed to go to the doctor, report the infection and go to quarantine.

They need to work, not be penned-in for a fortnight.

And these are the precise reasons why ATK tests cannot be counted accurately within the national Daily Infection rates.

There are Thousands that are not reported either as Positive or Negative, making the figure seem much, much lower than the reality figure.

All part of a smoke and mirrors agenda.

 

6 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

And these are the precise reasons why ATK tests cannot be counted accurately within the national Daily Infection rates.

There are Thousands that are not reported either as Positive or Negative, making the figure seem much, much lower than the reality figure.

All part of a smoke and mirrors agenda.

 

Why do you think the daily infection numbers suddenly halved over-night, just in time for the re-opening?

 

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

Why do you think the daily infection numbers suddenly halved over-night, just in time for the re-opening?

 

I know what I think about that, and have been banging a Drum on the subject since the very first introduction of the ATK tests

I found I had to read the linked article to find out the reason for failing to distribute the kits.

 

The Society has deemed them inaccurate and the manufacture standards and quality of manufacture questionable. I do hope they have evidence of this, as to the withholding of the kits when they should be out there working is a serious matter.

 

Presumably there are standards which the manufacturer has to achieve before putting these kits on the market. Who audited them? 

 

and now...we ask the question, how accurate are any of the test kits? Food for more conspiracy theories.

Trust, but verify, the efficacy of the kits and make the results public.

Someone is wrong here. Get it sorted, or the confidence in the system is undermined.

Possibly this is an exercise in saving face, no-one would want to admit they spent a billion baht on a flawed test kit.

The Lepu test kit involves touching the nasal swab to a test well, from there the nasal fluid is supposed to wick up to the assay area. If there is not enough fluid, the result will always be COVID-negative as the fluid does not get to the assay area.

In contrast, a SD-Biosensor kit involves swishing the nasal swab in a small vial of liquid. 4 drops of the liquid is then placed in the test well, which presumably ensures there is enough fluid to reach the assay area.

I have personal experience of both kits, and I suspect the real reason for withdrawing the Lepu kits is a lot of false negatives.