The test kit of the Viet A Technologies JSC. The report noted that in early2020, when there hadn’t been any SARS-CoV-2 test kits, even imported ones,licensed to be used in Vietnam, the country faced a shortage of those kits andhad to depend on assistance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the USCentres for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC), which caused great pressureon the pandemic response.
In that context, the Ministry ofScience and Technology (MST) coordinated with other units to develop a RT-PCRtest kit for detecting the novel coronavirus. The task performance was chairedby the Vietnam Military Medical Academy and implemented in coordination withthe Viet A company.
The first phase of this projectwas approved at a meeting on March 3, 2020 of a council set up by the MST. All theeight member experts and scientists of the council agreed to propose theMinistry of Health (MoH) authorise the kit.
After receiving a dossier seekingthe test kit authorisation amid the urgent anti-pandemic demand, the MoH’s department for health careequipment and projects intructed this company to provide supplements to thedossier.
On December 4, 2020, the MoHissued a decision on granting circulation numbers to the products “LightPower iVA SARS-CoV-2 1st RT- rPCR” of the Viet A company and “One-Step RT-PCRcovid-19 Kit Thai Duong Multiplex-3 target genes Version 1.0” of the Sao Thai Duong company. Both circulationnumbers have a validity period of five years since the date of granting.
The Government’s report said theWHO and the USCDC paid great attention to Vietnam’s successful isolation andcultivation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as its test kit development. Theseorganisations helped the country carry out external assessment and independentverification.
Results show that thelaboratories that include the biological products used in all the four externalassessments, with three assisted by the USCDC and one by WHO, from May 2020 toOctober 2021 met standards, which means the tests satisfied qualityrequirements.
According to the report, thewrongdoings by the Viet A Technologies JSC were serious, and the Government andPrime Minister ordered the Ministry of Public Security to investigate theviolating persons.
The Viet A company took advantageof the pandemic to seek illegal profit. Some individuals also broke theregulations on procurement and bidding and abused their positions and powerwhile performing duties.
This case has been listed amongthose under the monitoring of the Central Steering Committee for corruption andnegative phenomena prevention and control. The Prime Minister has alsorequested prompt investigation and strict settlement of any irregularities thatmade use of the pandemic to gain illegal profit, the report noted.
It added that the MoH and the MSTare quickly reviewing the entire test kit development, assessment, transfer,authorisation, and management process to serve the probe./.
VNA
