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Dr. Raul V. Destura, who heads a start-up company called Manila Health Tek, led a team of scientists in developing Biotek-M (inset),  a rapid dengue test kit that is more affordable to Filipinos. A Dengue test kit imported from the US would normally cost $100. Destura said that technology adoption cut the “toll fees” that make dengue testing expensive in the country. Biotek-M was developed through funding from Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development and its commercialization is supported by DOST’s Technology Application and Promotion Institute. (Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service)

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