Project ARK to expand pilot program of pooled RT-PCR testing

The private sector-led Project ARK (Antibody Rapid Test Kit) is expected to expand its pilot implementation of the pooled reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, involving 10,000 people, as it assured the public that it is in “constant communication” with the Department of Health (DOH) on the possible cascading of pooled testing technique to public hospitals and accredited laboratories.

Iloilo 1st district Rep. and ARK-PCR Private Sector Chief Implementer Janette Garin said that the Philippine Society of Pathologists, Inc. (PSP) and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) will officially turn over the preliminary results of their research study on pooled testing to the DOH.

“As they turned over the results, a meeting will be conducted by the DOH and its officials who will now determine or approve the pilot implementing sites that we have recommended. The pilot implementation sites are all government hospitals,” she said during the virtual announcement of the Go Negosyo’s pooled testing research results.

In Luzon, the proposed pilot testing implementation sites are Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, National Kidney and Transplant institute, Lung Center of the Philippines. While outside of Metro Manila it will be the University of Cebu Medical Center (UNMed), Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC), and Eastern VIsayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC)

Garin said the identified hospitals, using their own laboratories and using bigger population of 10,000 people will “replicate” the pooled testing study.

“After doing that, they will all compare the results, discuss it with PCMC and RITM (Research Institute of Tropical Medicine) and come up with a detailed step by step protocol on how pooled testing will be conducted,” she said.

“The DOH will now issue the necessary guidelines for pooled testing under the leadership of the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine because they are our national reference laboratory. The Philippine Society of Pathologists will be there as mentors and as technical advisory group who will oversee this cascading,” she further explained.

She noted that the hospitals will be provided with equipments, test kits, supplies, and all other administrative costs they will incur during the pilot implementation that seeks to cover public market vendors and drivers.