The serological testing of the inhabitants of the Republic of Srpska, which will include about 3,000 citizens, will begin on September 1, and all those who are eager to find out whether they overcame “COVID 19” can remove the suspicion by testing in certain health centers that offer this service.
Dean of the Medical Faculty in Foča, Dejan Bokonjić, said that in agreement with the RS Ministry of Health, the Institute of Public Health and the Medical Faculty in Banja Luka, a large serological test was planned to last from September 1 to 30.
– Although it was originally planned for antibody testing to be performed in July, it was decided to wait until the fall, for the population to be slightly higher and for the second wave of coronavirus, if any, to have a true picture of the situation in the Republic – said Bokonjić emphasizing that serological testing will cover about 1,055 households, ie the analysis of about 3,000 samples is planned. Bokonjić adds that the sample will be completely random and that the testing will include citizens from all parts of Srpska.
The device for serological testing was purchased at the beginning of May by the Doboj Health Center, where about 500 patients have been tested so far.
– The goal of the procurement was to assess the extent of the population, primarily health workers, who came into contact with the virus – stated the family medicine specialist in this health institution, Marina Jotić Ivanović.
Epidemiology specialist at the Doboj Health Center, Ana Ćeklić Stevanović, explains that serological testing is not a diagnostic method, but serves to assess the population that has come into contact with the virus, including asymptomatic cases.
– It can be used as a supplement to standard PCR testing, which is the gold standard for diagnosing coronavirus. For now, the results are at the world level, ie the infection rate is between one and two percent of the total number of tested – said Ćeklić Stevanović and added that this testing is not of a commercial nature and that the indications for testing are set by a doctor.
Residents’ testing for the presence of antibodies to “COVID 19” began on Monday at the Health Center in Derventa.
– We took blood samples from ten fellow citizens who have so far applied for testing that costs 30 marks. We are testing for IgG and IgM antibodies to “COVID 19”. We suspect that only one patient had contact with the coronavirus and after four to five days we will repeat the test, and if the result is the same, we will do the PCR test – explained the head of the laboratory at the Derventa Health Center Dragana Vidojević. The director of the Derventa Health Center, Mirko Šaran, says that all citizens who want can be tested, with mandatory ordering.
– So far we have ordered 25 tests. We will see how much the citizens will be interested and in accordance with that, we will order additional quantities – said Šaran.
Procurement of appliances
In cooperation with local businessmen, they plan to purchase a device for serological testing in the Health Center “St. Panteleimon” in Kotor Varoš.
– At the moment, the epidemiological situation is difficult, we are at the very top in terms of the number of infected. I talked to the management of our largest companies to help us buy the necessary devices, and for the Health Center to perform a testing service and to charge the employees from those companies only the price of reagents – said the director of that health institution, Vladimir Bibić.
TST
