Rural doctors ask PM to stand by WHO criteria for test kits

Rural doctors ask PM to stand by WHO criteria for test kits

The Rural Doctor Society (RDS) has sent an open letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, asking him to stand by his instruction that antigen test kits (ATKs) procured by Thailand must be endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Dr Supat Hasuwankit, head of the RDS, posted on Facebook that the quality of ATKs that will be used for mass testing is important and they must meet the WHO's emergency use listing requirements.

The RDS has insisted that the planned procurement of 8.5 million sets of ATKs is intended for use by medical personnel, Dr Supat wrote.

However, efforts are being made to amend a cabinet resolution on the matter by deleting the term "WTO standards", he posted and adding that the prime minister's instructions at last Tuesday's cabinet meeting were correct and in line with the current efforts to tackle the pandemic.

In light of this, the RDS has agreed that the prime minister should stand by his instruction that ATKs procured for Thailand have to be endorsed by the WHO, so that the ATKs can be for medical professional use, Dr Supat posted.

He added that the ATKs were not for home use by the public given that the median price set by the National Health Security Office (NHSO) was no more than 120 baht per set.

Moreover, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) recently procured ATKs approved by the WHO at US$5 each or about 160 baht, Dr Supat posted.

But the NHSO's committee tasked with price-bargaining managed to bargain for 120 baht per set, which is cheaper than those acquired by Unicef, he posted.

He added that the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) can cancel the bidding for the ATKs without causing any damage to the state.

The GPO can then proceed with a specific procurement method as suggested by a circular issued by the Comptroller General's Department, he said.

As for the government's move to allow the public to use ATKs for self-testing, Dr Supat posted that ATKs available at convenience stores in the US are retailed at US$1 per set, with an estimated profit of 30%.

If the government and the NHSO purchase tens of millions of sets at a time, they can buy the products at a price lower than US$0.75 each, which will help the national budget, the doctor further said.

"The RDS has hoped that the move to amend the cabinet meeting on the procurement of 8.5 million sets of ATKs by removing the term 'WHO standards' will not materialise," Dr Supat said in his post.

Previously, Ostland Capital and World Medical Alliance, the bid winner, submitted a letter to the prime minister, saying his instructions could hinder the contract signing between the firm and the GPO.

They said that while Chinese-made ATK sets from Lepu Medical Technology have not been approved by the WHO, the ToR used in the e-bidding process do not make WHO-approval a requirement.

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