Feasibility and acceptability of COVID-19 self-testing in the Philippines

E U Mallari; S Keller; J F Febre; J Timbol; R Powers; R R Peregrino; A Slyzkii; C Mulder; M V Magno; I Spruijt

doi:10.5588/pha.23.0045

Feasibility and acceptability of COVID-19 self-testing in the Philippines

Public Health Action. 2023 Dec;13(4):119-122. doi: 10.5588/pha.23.0045. Epub 2023 Dec 7.

Authors

E U Mallari¹, S Keller², J F Febre¹, J Timbol¹, R Powers², R R Peregrino³, A Slyzkii², C Mulder^{2

4}, M V Magno¹, I Spruijt²

Affiliations

¹ KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, Manilla, The Philippines.
² KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Hague, The Netherlands.
³ Aurum Institute, Accra, Ghana.
⁴ Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Abstract

Self-testing for COVID-19 using antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (Ag-RDTs) shows high promise in the Philippines. Self-testing has the potential to provide broader access to testing, empowering individuals by bringing healthcare services closer to them. We conducted 15 semi-structured interviews with health officers and decision-makers in the Philippines. These interviews explored the experiences and perspectives on the acceptability and feasibility of self-test use and implementation. We found that self-testing is easy-to-use, provides rapid results and can facilitate early detection. However, -regulatory policies, linkages to care and effective health -education plans must be in place for successful implementation.

Keywords: Ag-RDT; The Philippines; acceptability testing; antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic tests.