The Public Health Minister, Dr. Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas, says that the Dominican Republic has the capacity to turn out results for 1,500 PCR Covid-19 diagnostic tests per day. During the 29 April 2020 press briefing, he explained four machines are delivering the results for the government. He says efforts are underway to install more capacity, mentioning that equipment is in process of being installed at the Ministry of Agriculture, private labs at Referencia, Patria Rivas and Amadita, Plaza de la Salud, Cedimat and other centers.
But investigative journalist Nuria Piera interviewed Patricia Leon of Laboratorios Referencia, who explained why testing in the country has been so slow to roll out so far. The problem is not the capacity to carry out the tests. The problem is in sourcing the reagents and the many other ingredients that go into a PCR virus test. Swabs, containers for collecting samples, chemicals and enzymes (polymerase) that detect the virus, are all in short supply due to the massive demand around the world for the same raw materials and commercial kits.
Leon explained that her company has the largest laboratory facilities in the country, with capacity to turn out results for 3,000 tests a day. But the lack of raw materials and commercial kits has not made this possible.
When interviewed by Piera, Rafael Sánchez Cardenas had said on Monday, 25 April day of the inauguration of the C5i intelligence center that with 60,000 with PCR and rapid response tests already underway, the ministry is making analysis mathematical to forecast.
Read more in Spanish:
N Digital ttps://n.com.do/2020/04/26/la-situacion-actual-de-las-pruebas-pcr-en-rep-dominicana-nuria/
Ministry of Public Health Bulletin #41 press briefing
30 April 2020