Battle with COVID-19, purchase of testing equipment will cost 2m euros

The number of tests for COVID-19 is expected to rise as early as this month. Currently, over 400 people in one day are tested in the country, but that this figure can mark growth even more after an increase in equipment for PCRs on IKSHP and license of private hospitals to conduct these types of licenses.

Testing with the PCR method for coronarys in Kosovo can currently be done only at the National Public Health Institute (IKSHPK). However, the Ministry of Health will also allow private health institutions to conduct tests.

In the Health Ministry, they have declared that so far they have requested that over 100 labs be licensed to conduct tests for COVID-19.

The spokesman for this ministry, Faik Hoti, has told Gazeta Express that some of the IPSHS have also applied for serial testing and molecular testing.

He has suggested that the screening process of these applications has begun since yesterday.

“Dje has begun the process of reviewing private health institutions applications that have applied for the license of testing service for SARS-COV-2 (Condivus-19). 103 have applied for a license so far. There are IPSH that have applied for a license for Serological testing, but also for molecular testing (PCR)”. Hoti said.

Tests for COVIDD-19 will soon be conducted in regional hospitals as well. In the MS, they have already shown that the procedures for purchasing equipment for these hospitals, which are worth about two million euros.

“Applications open for car purchases for PCR for Regional Public Health Centres that operate under IKSHPK's authority. R- The PCR will be purchased from the Kosovo Health Project (PSHK), which is from borrowing from the World Bank. It is expected to cost about 2 million euros, along with other surveillance equipment”, says Hoti's responses.

Meanwhile, in mid-August, the National Institute of Public Health is expected to add three more RT devices PCR.

“With these devices provided. It depends on how much time the contracting procedures and bringing them to Kosovo. But, in mid-August, I KSHPK is expected to receive 3 more RT devices The PCR donated by international partners, to begin with the third shift with tests of PCR”, have stated by MSU.

Otherwise, in the last 24 hours in the country, 225 new cases of COVID-19 and 13 cases of death have been recorded.

In recent cases, the number of people infected with this virus since the beginning of the pandemic has reached 9 thousand and 274. Of this number, 5 thousand and 190 patients have recovered, and 269 infected people who have had other associated diseases have lost their battle with the disease.