MOHW Investigates Potential use of COVID-19 Self-Test Kits

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Christopher Tufton, says the Ministry is looking at the possibility of using COVID-19 self-test kits on a local level for virus surveillance and monitoring.

“There have been some queries concerning the use of the self-test, which means a test which you administer on yourself, as opposed to a lab doing the actual testing. This has become more popular globally, as the technology evolves and is becoming now a more important part of the overall self-check at the organisation level check,” Dr. Tufton said.

Minister Tufton says the Ministry will review the information that is available and investigate how the COVID-19 self-test kits could be used in our situation the available information critical technocrats within the Ministry and this discussion will be expanded to other critical stakeholders, with the intention of assessing and, hopefully, allowing for the introduction, sooner rather than later to assesses for personal use and firm-level surveillance.

According to Dr. Tufton, the Health Ministry is also in discussions with the Ministry of Transport and Mining on airline criteria for COVID-19 testing.

He noted that this is with a view of attempting to meet those requirements. Minister Tufton however added that, some of the requirements are not up to the Ministry, but it is what the airliners require. He added airline normally require a lab-validated test, and to the extent that we can make the process more efficient and less expensive, then Ministry will pursue that.