The claim by Dr Kofi Bonney that the device being used for the COVID-19 testing at the KotoKa International Airport is "inaccurate and unscientific" is “his personal view and not the institute's position,” the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research has said.

The institute in a statement signed by its Director, Professor Abraham K Anang stated that the Institute has not put out any official communication on the COVID-19 testing system set up at the Kotoka International Airport.

According to the statement, official communication coming from the institution is issued by the Director or an appointed representative, however, it is the Institute’s policy that scientists declare when they share their personal views with stakeholders.

The clarification comes on the heels of Dr Bonney’s radio interview and the response from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

The FDA rejected Dr Bonney’s claims that COVID-19 testing of passengers at the Kotoka International Airport is not reliable.

The Authority in a statement said the “detection of the SARS-CoV 2 virus at the airport is not a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kit but rather a device which detects the virus in nasopharyngeal (nasal) swabs.”

It explained that the device detects the Antigen (SARS-CoV-2 Virus) by fluorescence technology.

The FDA further said the device met the requirements of not less than 99.0% concordance before the authority granted it market authorisation.