Photographer: Matthieu Rondel/Bloomberg
Photographer: Matthieu Rondel/Bloomberg
The Philippines has set a price cap for Covid-19 swab exams amid complaints of exorbitant and large price disparity, Well being Secretary Francisco Duque stated.
The price for real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain response or RT-PCR take a look at is capped at 5,000 pesos ($104) in personal hospitals and three,800 pesos in authorities laboratories, Duque stated in a briefing. Some testing facilities have charged as a lot as 13,000 pesos for the exams.
The Philippines, which has the second-worst outbreak in Southeast Asia, plans to purchase as many as 50 million doses from China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez stated in a separate briefing. U.S.-based Novavax Inc. is one other attainable vaccine supply, he stated.
Key Insights
- Hospitals, laboratories that violate price cap on RT-PCR take a look at will probably be fined as much as 30,000 pesos, have license suspended as much as a month, Duque stated. License to conduct exams will probably be revoked for three-time violators, he stated.
- Authorities is trying to impose price cap for different take a look at kits, together with antigen exams
- AstraZeneca Plc has already submitted full paperwork for scientific trial of its vaccine within the nation, Well being Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stated.
— With help by Andreo Calonzo
