Delese Mimi Darko
The Food and Drugs Authority Chief Executive Officer, Delese Mimi Darko, has confirmed the authenticity of the antigen diagnostic test being used at the Kotoka International Airport for Covid-19 testing.
Addressing the media at a press conference on Wednesday August 4, 2021, on claims and concerns about the accuracy of the results churned out by the machines, she outlined the processes that every test goes through before results are released.
She explained that the devices were so efficient, adding that they were able to detect all strings being identified.
Mrs Darko revealed that over 60 devices have been evaluated and only a certain number have been approved by the FDA.
According to her, the approved devices in the country were being posted on the FDA website.
Briefing the media on the accuracy of the testing system at the airport, she explained that the antigen testing system used at the airport was not a rapid diagnostic cartridge being sold in boxes for home or personal use like the usual ones on the market
According to the FDA boss, the Antigen device which was evaluated in July 2020, is an automated fluorescent immune acid, thus it’s able to detect the virus by a certain fluorescent and there was also a nano technology that makes it even more sensitive.
With the usual test kits, she explained that a drop of a sample swap reveals a line that and can be seen with the naked eye.
She therefore appealed to all Ghanaians not to use any other device that has not been registered by the board and avoid the usage of test kits that are not permitted in Ghana for Covid-19.
By Annie Wharton Savage