Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : February 1, 2021 11:30 AM IST
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that COVID-19 tests (PCR and Antigen) should be made available at point-of-care and in laboratories in all countries. In fact, the organisation has included COVID-19 tests in its latest edition of essential diagnostics list (EDL), which was published January 29, 2021.
Since 2018, WHO has been publishing EDL every in its effort to address the lack of access to tests and testing services in multiple countries. It is an evidence-based guide that identifies disease prevalence globally and recommends the appropriate test for each condition to increase timely and life-saving diagnoses. Apart from tests intended for use in laboratories, the EDL includes numerous diagnostics that should be available at primary care or community level.
In addition to including COVID-19 tests, the new annual essential diagnostics list expands the suite of tests for vaccine-preventable and infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes. It has also added a section on endocrinology, which is important for reproductive and women's health.
In the latest edition, the WHO has, for the first time, listed tests that should not be supplied in countries, either because they "are not cost-effective, are unreliable or have been surpassed by newer, easier to use technologies."
"Access to quality tests and laboratory services is like having a good radar system that gets you where you need to go. Without it, you're flying blind," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was quoted as saying in a statement published in the organisation website.
"All countries should pay particular attention to the diagnostics space and use the essential list to promote better health, keep their populations safe, and serve the vulnerable," he added.
The WHO noted that the current COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the critical role of accurate, quality diagnostics in the health system. The use of appropriate diagnostic tests is the first step in the development and implementation of strategies for treatment, control, and in many cases prevention of disease and outbreaks, it said.
Several studies have indicated that asymptomatic patients play a major role in spreading the COVID-19 infections, stressing the importance of universal testing to curb the disease. Before the arrival of the vaccine, many researchers had suggested improving testing resources to identify the true burden of COVID-19, which in turn can help reduce infection and mortality.
Currently, there are two primary types of COVID-19 tests: diagnostic tests and blood tests. While the first one looks for active coronavirus infection in mucus or saliva samples, the other one uses blood samples to search for antibodies, which can tell if your immune system had encountered the infection before.
There are different diagnostic tests to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Your doctor may recommend antigen tests or RNA tests to confirm or rule out a coronavirus infection. While the antigen tests look for a piece of the coating of the virus, the RNA tests detect nucleic acid belonging to the coronavirus.
RNA or Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are considered the most sensitive and accurate tests for detecting an active coronavirus infection. It can detect Covid-19 patient who is no longer sick or shedding virus. Antigen tests, on the other hand, are generally quick and cheap but often less accurate in detecting cases of active infection. Also called rapid tests, antigen tests are often used to screen large numbers of people.
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