Scientists believe that in the context of the rapid coronavirus spread all over the world, testing as much as possible is the best method to locate people who need to be quarantined.

Vietnam is one of a few countries that can produce test kits to discover coronavirus. The test kits are made by the Military Medical Academy and Viet A.

They give results with 100 percent accuracy rate after two hours and satisfy criteria of the biological kits guided by CDC and WHO. The Ministry of Health of Vietnam has granted a license for mass production.

Scientists believe that in the context of the rapid coronavirus spread all over the world, testing as much as possible is the best method to locate people who need to be quarantined.

The test kit utilizes RT-PCR and realtime RT-PCR, made on an ISO 13485 production line and ISO Class 8 testing lab. 

The kit is prepared in the form of solution, which is effective for testing samples from the upper respiratory tract (nasopharynx, throat rinses), lower respiratory tract (sputum, alveolar fluid, intubation, pleural fluid) and blood.

The National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology has confirmed that the bio-kit has been recommended to detect nCoV.

Viet A Technology JSC specializes in molecular biology, with capital of VND1 trillion, located in Phu Nhuan District, HCM City. The company has a team of experts with more than 10 years of experience in the field of molecular biology.

This is also the first team in Vietnam that very early successfully put into business the kits using realtime PCR technology and molecular hybrids.

The company is fully equipped with the necessary machines for the study and application of molecular biology such as PCR, real-time PCR and centrifuges.

The company has over 15 latest-generation real-time PCR machines, including ones serving large hospitals, namely the Central Hospital of Can Tho and Hue Central Hospital.

According to Phan Quoc Viet, general director of Viet A, the company and the Military Medical Academy started to work on the bio-kit in December 2019, when the epidemic appeared in China.

Viet A is the only company in Vietnam which has Ministry of Health’s license for nearly 15 similar bio-kits.

At present, Real-Time RT-PCR is the only method considered effective to discover coronavirus. Only WHO, CDC, China, the UK, Germany, Singapore, Vietnam and South Korea have virus test kits.

According to Viet, in the application of molecular biology techniques to make test kits, Vietnam does not lag behind other countries. Vietnam’s kit is "ready to use", which means it can be used immediately, and there is no need for further preparation steps like the kits of other manufacturers.

Viet A can make 10,000 kits a day and if necessary, can raise the capacity to 30,000.

Linh Ha

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/en/sci-tech-environment/who-is-the-producer-of-vietnam-s-coronavirus-test-kits-631287.html