Regarding media enquiries on the regulatory mechanism of community nucleic acid testing services, the Health Bureau gave the following response today (February 26):
 
     The Government has been maintaining a robust regulatory mechanism for community nucleic acid testing services to strictly monitor the quality of the relevant services through measures such as continuous cross-checking of testing statistics reported by testing contractors against those recorded in the government internal IT system, as well as regular spot-checking and review of different types of testing cases, in order to safeguard the credibility of testing results and the proper use of public money.
 
     In addition, the Government has all along been requiring all testing contractors to ensure that community testing centres and stations (CTC/CTSs) are run properly as stipulated and in compliance with various daily operation and infection control requirements.
 
     The Government has not received any report or complaint about forgery of testing specimens so far. Detailed investigation will be conducted. Any suspected fraud or forgery of record, if found, will not be tolerated and will be passed to enforcement departments for follow-up.
 
     Since January this year, the usage of free testing service at CTC/CTSs has shown a gradual declining trend. In view of the development of epidemic situation, the Government earlier announced that, starting from March 1, free nucleic acid testing service will no longer be provided in the community testing network and the operation of nucleic acid testing will be scaled down. Only 21 CTC/CTSs will be retained to provide self-paid nucleic acid testing service for citizens.

Ends/Sunday, February 26, 2023
Issued at HKT 14:00

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