‘All they do is complain’: Duterte adviser slams doctors for saying COVID-19 rapid tests unreliable

Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. Photo: Concepcion/FB
Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. Photo: Concepcion/FB

A high-ranking adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte is now in the center of an internet maelstrom after he slammed Filipino doctors for saying that rapid test kits are unreliable.

In a virtual presser yesterday, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion railed against the Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, which said that two-thirds of rapid test kits churn out false positives, making them a complete waste of entrepreneur’s resources. Concepcion supports Project ARK, a private sector initiative that aims to distribute rapid test kits to businesses that want to screen their workers for the coronavirus.

Concepcion, who owns a conglomerate that’s involved in property and insurance, said that entrepreneurs are smart enough to know what they are doing (like, smarter than doctors?).

“You know, the private sector, these entrepreneurs, they’re smart. They’re street smart,” he said.

Showing a print out of a news article that reported about the Presidential Security Group (PSG) testing its members using rapid test kits, he added, “Look at this, at the PSG, they’re using rapid test kits, so they were able to identify who is positive. Even our president believes in rapid test kits. These entrepreneurs, those who own Ayala, those who own SM, those who own the Lucio Tan Group of Companies. All conglomerates [they used rapid test kits], those who own corporations.”

Read: PH gov’t still has no plans for mass testing, leaves responsibility to private sector

“Now, where are these rapid tests from? China. From America. These people are intelligent. These scientists and researchers, they’ve long been making these rapid test kits. These are proven. Why are they exporting this, and why are they using it in their own country? And they were able to control the virus,” he added.

“The problem with these doctors, they keep talking, when they’re not doing anything. All they do is complain. What would happen is, if the economy of the Philippines closes down, a lot of people will lose their jobs. We can’t afford another lockdown. My appeal to all these doctors, if you have a better alternative, why don’t you tell us that better alternative?” he protested.

If you’ve never heard of Concepcion, he’s the same dude who said that the economy could be re-opened supposedly because the working class has a “better” immune system than those who have grown up in well-off households. He’s basically saying that the poor are less susceptible to getting infected with the coronavirus. He said this, of course, without offering scientific proof.

A few hours after his controversial remarks went viral, Concepcion issued a contrite statement, saying that he has the “utmost admiration and gratitude” to doctors and other frontliners who are working amid this pandemic.

“I apologize if my words were perceived to criticize doctors in general. I hope we will be united in our efforts. With this, I extend my deepest thanks to all frontliners that continue to go beyond the call of duty for our people. We can and we will heal as one,” he said.

 



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