https://www.myjoyonline.com/covid-19-antigen-test-can-produce-false-positive-results-ghs-admits/-------https://www.myjoyonline.com/covid-19-antigen-test-can-produce-false-positive-results-ghs-admits/

The Ghana Health Service has admitted that there have been instances of false-positive test results for antigen tests conducted at the Kotoka International Airport.

"Clearly, every test in the world has false positives but we are looking at a very sensitive instrument, which is the antigen test, and because it's extra sensitive, about 99.9%, it's possible there may be few false positives. "

However, Director of Public Health at the Service, Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe said such cases are rare because of a robust testing regime that has been instituted at the airport by the Food and Drugs Authority, which is known to be among the best in the world.

"Before we introduced this test at the airport, the Ghana FDA approved and registered the instruments we use at the airport," he said on Tuesday during JoyFM's Super Morning Show.

His comment comes on the back of allegations of falsified Covid-19 test results at the airport.

During the show, Dr Asiedu-Bekoe dismissed the claims, insisting that there was no need to falsify any test result.

"This is a very highly sensitive kit being used so if you have a very highly sensitive test at the airport, you'll actually have a few positives. And that's how come Ghana has been able to contain the importation of the virus into the country," he said.

He added that there have been instances where people have doubted the test results but after some time, they've come to accept the truth.

He further explained the rationale behind the replacement of the self-isolation policy which was initially instituted for all entrants, with a mandatory self-quarantine policy which was subsequently introduced.

He stated that entrants were not complying with the directive, hence, the decision.

"During the second wave, we were putting people under self-isolation but these were the same people who were visiting pubs and going to parties and infecting friends and relatives and colleagues.

"So we modified our protocols that we are no more going to do self-isolation, we are going to do mandatory isolation and instituted that every person who tests positive at the airport will undergo seven days mandatory isolation at designated facilities."

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.



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