MOEA Selling Rapid Test Kits at NT$180 Each 八大通路賣快篩 1劑180元價高於實名制

The Ministry of Economic Affairs arranged for eight major retailers to start selling Abbott test kits on the 9th, but at almost twice the price of price-controlled kits.

Taiwan's COVID-19 case count is setting new records every day, but there are no price-controlled rapid test kits available. The Ministry of Economic Affairs arranged for eight major retailers to start selling Abbott test kits on the 9th. As the kits are being sold for NT$180 each -- almost double that of price-controlled kits -- there weren't many takers.

Citizen: “Schools are only handing out one test kit per student. It's not enough. At least prices are still reasonable.”

Hsu Yi-ju, Senior Manager, Convenience Store: “Abbott supplies are what stores have on hand and sales are limited to one kit per person.”

Citizens and lawmakers alike are blasting the government over the shortage. Kuomintang lawmakers are questioning why the Central Epidemic Command Center chose the unqualified Golden Global Biomedicine Co. to be Taiwan's rapid test kit procurer and asked who profited under the table from this deal. Golden Global eventually withdrew its tender. Ruling lawmakers, however, say the shortage is due to panic buying caused by the sensationalist media and the KMT is trying to sow chaos.

Wu Ping-jui, Legislator (DPP): “One side is that there's a shortage and a rush to import test kits. The other is restricting unqualified companies from importing them to prevent conspiracy.”
Tsai Shou-chuan, Chief Secretary, Ministry of Health and Welfare: “From April 28 to May 2, a thorough assessment was conducted. The approved companies are the ones we extended invitations to, that have EUAs. In principle, it was a fair and transparent process.”
 
Lai Shyh-bao, Legislator (KMT): “The entire world wants to save Taiwan, but Taiwan's government is completely impotent. President Tsai said there would be 100 million test kits available by the end of May. Do any agency heads or deputy heads want to tell me which brands will be available?”
Tsai Shou-chuan, Chief Secretary, Ministry of Health and Welfare: “The 100 million will probably be Roche and Abbott, and there will be some other purchased ones.”

DPP lawmaker Wu Ping-jui says the "only" standard that matters for emergency purchases is quality, brand, and price, and not the size of the company. Ministry of Health and Welfare Chief Secretary Tsai Shou-chuan says the Tsai administration publicly explained its emergency purchase procedure twice and Golden Global probably dropped out after taking a look at its finances.

超市門口陸續有民眾來排隊等候，他們都是要來購買快篩試劑，因為本土疫情持續升溫，雖然政府祭出快篩實名制，但不少人都買不到，為了緩解民間快篩需求，經濟部協調八大通路販售亞培快篩試劑，並於9日上午十點開賣，但由於1劑就要180元，並沒有出現搶購潮。

一位民眾表示：「學校只會發一劑而已，其實我覺得這樣子用量其實是不太夠，覺得現在這樣子的價格，我覺得是還可以接受。」

便利超商資深經理許宜如指出：「亞培的部份是採門市現貨為主，現貨的部份它一人是限購一劑。」

國內快篩之亂引發各界批評，上午立法院財政委員會針對「各政府機關採購快篩試劑亂象」進行專題報告，國民黨立委指出，指揮中心採購快篩試劑廠商中的高登環球公司，被質疑是「小吃店變生醫公司」是有圖利疑雲，讓高登環球決定棄標。

不過也有立委認為，快篩之所以會這麼快完售，是因為一開始大家恐慌、緊張以及飢餓行銷導致，批國民黨一方面喊快篩不夠、一方面又擋快篩試劑進來，根本是「以疫謀亂」。

民進黨立委吳秉叡質詢衛時提到：「一方面說不夠，叫大家趕快進口趕快買，都在排，不夠，一方面卻說那一家不可以進口，那一家資本太少不可以進口，有人以疫謀亂。」衛福部秘書處長蔡壽洤回應：「4月28日跟5月2日有讓廠商充分去評估，所以我們邀約的對象，也是國內都有取得EUA，所以原則上公平公開的原則是有的。」

國民黨立委賴士葆提問：「全世界要救台灣，結果台灣政府無能，我們就看蔡總統說5月底會有一億劑，處長或副組長，要不要告訴我什麼廠牌？」衛福部秘書處長蔡壽洤答覆：「我們的一億劑大概有羅氏還有亞培，還有其餘採購的部份。」

吳秉叡認為，緊急採購案唯一的標準就是產品的品質、品牌、價格，若不符合公司再大都過不了關。對此，衛福部秘書處長蔡壽洤則表示，針對政府採購所辦理的辦理緊急採購，有做過兩次公開說明，也讓廠商自行評估，最重要的還是後面的履約管理，也許是廠商自行評估資金後，最後才沒參與投標。