NKTI limits affordable COVID-testing for employees, patients due to server issues
While many were delighted when the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) announced that it is offering affordable COVID-19 testing, some people expressed regret that is currently not available to the public.

In advisory as of Feb. 9 posted on its Facebook page, the NKTI said: “Effective February 10, 2021, the NKTI RT-PCR Covid Testing shall only be available to NKTI employees and patients due to ongoing configuration of our servers.”
NKTI added that the test “shall be limited to 100 patients a day” or 50 in the morning and 50 in the afternoon.
In the comments section, netizens regretted that they were not able to make it in time. User JP Arevalo Miraña said: “RT-PCT Covid Testing shall only be available to NKTI employees and patients''. Di na po ba open for public?” -noting that he was planning to go to NKTI to avail of the testing. “Balak pa naman namin sa Thursday sana. Di umabot,” he added.
Kent Robinson Gabales, in another comment, said: “Sayang plan ko pa naman sa feb15. Flight ko kasi ng Feb. 20.” The NKTI, meanwhile, asked for “patience and understanding.”
In an advisory posted on Facebook dated Jan. 26, the NKTI said that it has been “receiving many inquiries regarding swab testing for COVID-19 RT-PCR.” To help those who are interested, NKTI also posted an infographic to answer frequently asked questions regarding COVID-19 testing.
The NKTI said the RT-PCR (Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) testing is conducted at the NKTI Executive Office Parking Area from Mondays to Sundays. The said infographic also prices, schedule and results.
The costs of NKTI’s RT-PCR tests are: P391.00 (for those with PhilHealth) and P3,800 (for those with PhilHealth). NKTI said that prices are in compliance with the price cap for COVID-19 testing and test kits set by the Department of Health (DOH).
However, in succeeding posts on Jan. 27, the NKTI said that it was experiencing problems in its hospital servers. Thus, “transactions requiring PhilHealth verification” are delayed. “In light of the issues we are having with our hospital server, outpatient swabbing at the NKTI will be temporarily unavailable until further notice,” it added.