By producing a diagnostic kit that is able to detect signs of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Vietnam has become one of the few countries in the world to successfully master the technology.

A COVID-19 testing kit made in Vietnam

The newly-produced testing kit has recently been recognised by the British Department of Health and Social Care which issued paperwork confirming that the product complies with European standards, along with a certificate of free sale.

The approval will help the Vietnamese COVID-19 test kit to be exported far more easily around Europe, therefore creating opportunities for other Made-in-Vietnam medical diagnostic products to enter the international market.

The COVID-19 test kit has been created after research was conducted by scientists at the Vietnam Military Medical University, and it was produced by the Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company. The kit has been tested for sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy, with the product being similar to the biological kits produced by the US’ Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO.

Prof. Dr. Le Bach Quang said the recognition given by Britain for the country’s COVID-19 test kit proves the nation’s scientific level and its ability to master production technologies on the same level as other developed countries globally.

He emphasised that the country is more than capable of exporting medical biological products that have the ability to diagnose diseases early, both infectious diseases and other serious ailments.

Adding to this viewpoint, Trinh Thanh Hung, deputy director of the Science and Technology Department under the Ministry of Science and Technology, noted that the nation’s medical diagnostic kits have been researched and manufactured through strict technology processes and have been made following standard production lines. 

Hung went on to advise local medical facilities, research institutes, and enterprises to strive to improve their research capacity, continue to master technology, and invest further in modern production lines in order to realise the export potential of other medical diagnostic products. 

Moreover, Hung underlined the importance of participating with relevant ministries to create favourable conditions for testing and licensing domestically-produced items as a means of facilitating the further penetration of Vietnamese products in foreign markets.