NASSAU, BAHAMAS — On the heels of the Ministry of Health’s announcement this past week confirming the presence of the highly transmissible delta variant of COVID-19 in The Bahamas, one local healthcare organization is touting Abbott’s Panbio as the testing solution for the country.
According to the Ministry of Health, the National Reference Laboratory submitted 98 samples to the FIOCRUZ Laboratory for genomic sequencing. The samples were collected between May 6, 2021, and August 8, 2021, from individuals on New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Exuma and Bimini. The sequencing results confirmed that delta is the predominantly variant in The Bahamas, followed by the alpha and gamma variants.
As COVID infections and the related death count rises, major health facilities remain overwhelmed and concerns mount among local residents and potential visitors to our shores, Dynamic Health Ltd — which is contracted with Transcontinental to import Abbott products to The Bahamas — continues to note the Panbio test as a core mitigation component.
According to Dynamic Health representatives, Abbott’s Panbio test, among other scientific advantageous features, “offers the best point-of-care test, 94 percent sensitivity and 99 percent specificity; detects the new COVID delta variant and other COVID variants; takes 15 to 20 minutes to read the test; has an affordable price point; is World Health Organization (WHO) and FDA-approved; and production is available to The Bahamas upon demand in the millions”.
The test is also approved by the Bahamas Reference Laboratory, according to Dynamic Health, which reportedly sees Abbott’s Panbio test as a strategic win for The Bahamas to save lives.
“Reputable entities continue to endorse the test and the ongoing testimonies could very well prove the Abbott Panbio the perfect fit at a most critical time during the present pandemic,” a statement by Dynamic Health claimed.
A spokesperson of the organization noted the newly elected Davis administration’s “comprehensive plan marked by nationwide free testing”, as well as the challenge of daily increasing cases and deaths, making the case for the Panbio test as one “internationally and locally approved and set for delivery on demand”.
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