Enhancing the Country's Biopreparedness for COVID-19 and Other Emerging Infectious Diseases

To strengthen the country's readiness for potential future public health emergencies, Dr. Raul Destura, Ms. Joy Ann Santos, and the rest of the research team from the University of the Philippines - National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) developed mechanisms for accumulating large stocks of rapid diagnostic kits in response to emerging outbreaks and epidemics of emerging infectious diseases in the Philippines. The project produced a modern and faster diagnostic pathway development and mechanisms for a faster assessment, validation, and deployment of a diagnostic technology, utilizing the COVID-19 public health emergency of international concern as a model for the rapid stockpiling program. Among its most recent accomplishments is its production and distribution of the first locallymade test kit for COVID-19 called the GenAmplify COVID-19 rRT-PCR Detection Kit - a diagnostic kit for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 with high specificity and efficiency through a one-step multiplex realtime polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform. The development and mass distribution of the test kit were made in partnership with Manila Health Tek, a spin-off company from UP. The units were delivered to several institutions including the UPNIH, Philippine General Hospital, The Medical City Ortigas, Philippine Genome Center, and the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center. Priced significantly cheaper than its foreign counterparts, it provides accessible and affordable COVID-19 testing for Filipinos and expedited the process and turnaround period for COVID-19 testing in the Philippines.