The Ministry of Public Health says it has approved the local use of fast response tests for diagnosing Covid-19 in the Dominican Republic. Nevertheless, he said that the tests are only authorized to specific health centers and need to be certified by the Ministry.
The Minister of Public Health says that these are temporary tests and need to be confirmed by another test following the Berlin protocol that is more trustworthy.
Public Health Minister has said they have received several offers for donations. Luis Abinader, presidential candidate for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), has said the party is waiting for government clearance to import 40,000 test kits to carry out the tests. He said the party is blocked from doing so because the party has not been granted an import permit from the Ministry of Public Health.
The Ministry of Public Health says that as of 25 March 2020 the country had the capacity to carry out only 300 tests a day. People in the Dominican Republic who want to be tested have to go on waiting lists, both for the government lab as well as for the two private labs that are charging for the test.
China has also offered to donate diagnostic tests.
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El Dia
El Caribe
El Caribe
El Caribe
26 March 2020