The Fiji Medicinal Products Board is thoroughly screening and assessing all applications for the importation of COVID-19 test kits to ensure that Fiji only accepts those that meet the WHO standards and meet the ministry’s requirements.
Legend FM News has been told by the Ministry of Health that this is all in the best interest of the public as there are reports of a number of people conducting COVID tests.
They understand that some companies have also been importing their own test kits for some time now, but as of August 1st, the Fiji Medicinal Products Board has been screening the importation of all test kits.
Most of the imports so far are by companies for employee use and they have their own company doctors to conduct the test.
No direct sales to the public is allowed, if the test requires a medical professional.
Saliva test is also not recommended by the Ministry of Health, and therefore are no longer approved for importation.
The Board accepts Rapid Antigen Detection Tests that are on the WHO Emergency use listing or TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) of Australia. You can check out the list of approved test kits on our website, fijivillage.
The Board regulates medicinal products and works on the issuance of authorisation to import, distribute, retail or export medicinal products including medical devices such as the Rapid Antigen Detection Tests.
Meanwhile Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says if you test positive on a Rapid Diagnostic Test, you can assume that you have COVID-19 and self isolate for 14 days.
However, if you have symptoms and test negative on a Rapid Diagnostic Test you should still assume you have COVID-19 and self isolate for 14 days.
He says they know that these rapid tests have a higher risk of producing a false negative result than the gold standard molecular testing, which is used by the Ministry to confirm all negative rapid tests conducted at the screening clinics.
Doctor Fong has also clearly stated that the Rapid Diagnostic tests for COVID-19 used by some should not be conducted for persons with no symptoms (unless they are conducted on the person at regular intervals, for example, daily) and are not to be used to clear a person from isolation.
Doctor Fong says these tests are used to diagnose COVID-19 in a specific environment, and have the advantage of being able to produce a result very quickly (usually within 30 minutes or less), and can be done outside of traditional laboratory setups.
However he says they work best when the limitations of the test are clearly understood by the user.
Doctor Fong says the Ministry of Health has been telling everyone that lives in Suva-Nausori and the Western Division that if you have symptoms of COVID-19 you should assume you have COVID-19 and self isolate for 14 days, keep watch for severe COVID-19 symptoms and immediately seek emergency medical care if they are present.
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