NEQAS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) | Research Institute for Tropical Medicine

Account Handling

What is the link to the online NEQAS registration portal?

You may access the RITM NEQAS registration portal at: https://apps.ritm.gov.ph/neqas

Is only one account allowed per institution in the registration? We participate in the Bacteriology, Parasitology, TB and TTI NEQAS programs.?

Yes. There should be only one account per hospital/ laboratory, regardless of how many RITM NEQAS Programs are selected.

Do we register first before settling payment?

Yes. You must register first at the RITM NEQAS online registration system before settling payment. Payments shall only be made once the registration has been pre-approved.

Can we print the registration and payment be made via courier?

No. You are not required to print the pre-approved registration form BUT you are required to indicate the registered name of your hospital/laboratory and your registration number to facilitate payment acknowledgement.

We are an existing participant but was not able to join the NEQAS cycle last 2021. Will our participant code change or are we considered as new participants?

No. Participant codes are unique per hospital/laboratory and does not change.

What email address shall I use to register for an account in the online NEQAS registration portal?

Regardless of what email address you use for the registration, it is important that this is an active email address to ensure that all communications are checked and received by the hospital/laboratory.

How do we change information in the registration form like our email addresses?

A summary review is provided prior to submission of the online registration and the submitted information are considered final.
Please ensure that all information are correct to avoid any inconveniences.

Is the SARS-CoV-2 molecular EQAS program included in the registration?

No. The SARS-CoV-2 molecular EQAS program will be incorporated in the system by 2023, as they have already ended their registration last 2 March 2022.

Please provide the process on account retrieval. There is a possibility that our staff will resign, and the new staff does not know the hospital/laboratory account?

An email request can be sent to neqas@ritm.gov.ph for account retrieval, if the previous staff was not able to endorse the credentials appropriately.

We need the Official Receipt for reimbursement purposes. When will this be sent?

The Official Receipt will be sent together with your panel during shipment. If the Official Receipt is required immediately, please send us an email at neqas@ritm.gov.ph.

Fees

How much are the fees for each NEQAS program?

The following table summarizes the RITM NEQAS program fees:

PROGRAM	AMOUNT (PHP)
Bacteriology, Parasitology, TB	7,500.00
Bacteriology with/without Parasitology or TB	7,500.00
Parasitology and TB/Parasitology or TB	4,200.00
Transfusion Transmissible Infections	13,000.00*

* Covers two test events

Does the PhP13,000.00 registration fee for the TTI serology program cover two test events?

Yes. The above fees already cover 2 test events for the TTI Serology Program for the year’s NEQAS cycle. The fees are based on DOH Memorandum 20091-0086B and DOH DC 2019- 0227.

The fees are quite expensive. Will a discount be provided?

No. There is no discount. The fees are enough to cover costs of the national program and are based on DOH Memorandum 2009-0086-B.

Informatics

For the entry of results, will these be on the same site as the online NEQAS registration portal?

No. RITM NEQAS results entry shall be through the online informatics system (OASYS).

For results entry, is OASYS still the online information system in use?

Yes. The online informatics system to be used for the entry of RITM NEQAS results for the 2022 Cycle will still be the OneWorld Accuracy System (OASYS).

Operations

For a secondary laboratory with hepatitis screening and uses rapid test kits, is there a need to join the TTI serology program?

No. The TTI serology program is intended for blood service facilities categorized as “Blood Bank with Additional Function” or “Blood Center.

Does the Parasitology program cover identification of the malaria parasite?

Yes. Refer to the RITM NEQAS Guidelines dated 24 February 2022.

When is the expected shipment of the NEQAS samples?

We are targeting to ship RITM NEQAS PT samples as early as the 3rd quarter. But do keep yourselves updated by checking your registered e-mail as well as any announcements in RITM’s website page for laboratory quality assurance.

Will we still be issued with a NEQAS Certificate of Participation/Proficiency even if we do not have an HIV-proficient medical technologist for diagnostic testing?

No, because the HIV Serology NEQAS is offered by STD/AIDS Cooperative Central Laboratory (SACCL) in San Lazaro Hospital. Licenses for an HIV-proficient medical technologist are inspected by the DOH – Health Facilities Services and Regulatory Bureau prior to their issuance of the renewed License to Operate.

We only want to participate in the Parasitology program since we do not offer TB Microscopy in our laboratory. Is this acceptable?

Participation in the NEQAS program should be appropriate to your offered service as issued in your License to Operate.

Will the delivery of the panels be a one-time shipment or every test event?

Shipments of RITM NEQAS panels shall be scheduled by test event.

Are other NEQAS programs (e.g. Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, etc.) included in this online registration portal?

No. Our online registration portal only covers the NEQAS programs offered by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.

How do we join the TTI serology program?

The TTI serology program is offered only to blood service facilities categorized as “”Blood Bank with Additional Function”” or “”Blood Center.
If you fall under this category, you may tick on the TTI serology program in the online registration portal.

Our issued License to Operate is a Blood Center, do we need to participate both in the RITM and SACCL serology programs?

You should participate in the EQA program that is relevant to your laboratory services.

The TTI Serology program offered by RITM caters to laboratories classified as Blood Service Facilities and is intended for screening of blood donors for transfusion transmissible infections. The STI serology program offered by SLH-SACCL caters to the diagnostic laboratories testing for patients on sexually transmitted infections.

We received our panels past the test event deadline. What are our options?

This issue should be reported immediately to the RITM NEQAS Secretariat for appropriate investigation. We shall advise you on the next steps depending on our findings.

Payment

Are Postal Money Orders acceptable as a mode of payment?

Yes. Postal Money Orders are acceptable as a mode of payment for the RITM NEQAS.

The following are the acceptable modes of payment:
a. Cash (for on-site payment)
b. Company/Managers Check, Postal Money Order
c. Landbank Electronic Payment Portal
d. Modified Disbursement System (option for Government Agencies only)

Please take note that checks should be made payable to:
RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE

Are bank to bank deposits acceptable? This is so we can upload the deposit slip immediately.

No. Bank to bank deposits is not yet available as a payment mode for the RITM NEQAS.

We want to change the mode of payment after filling out the information, are we allowed to do so?

Yes. Changes in the mode of payment are acceptable. Please get in touch with us through e-mail at neqas@ritm.gov.ph.

I already settled the registration fee last January. Do I need to reregister using the online registration portal?

Yes. You need to register as soon as the registration to the 2022 RITM NEQAS Cycle has officially been opened. All participants who have registered earlier shall be required to register using the online registration portal.

For check payments sent via courier, are we required to print the pre-approved registration form when mailing?

What are the accepted modes of payment?

Please take note that checks should be made payable to:
RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR TROPICAL MEDICINE

Do we have alternative payment options other than the ones listed? (e.g. GCash, PayMaya, DragonPay, etc.)

No. There are no other alternative payment options yet aside from the ones we have listed.

For walk-in payments, is there a set schedule?

We accept walk-in payments at the RITM NEQAS Secretariat office located at the first floor of the RITM Training Center.

However, minimum public health standards, such as wearing of personal protective equipment, hand hygiene, and appropriate social distancing measures should be observed.

Cut-off time for acceptance:
03:30PM for check payment
05:00PM for cash payments

Do we submit payment for all programs simultaneously?

Yes. The proof of payment to be submitted should indicate the total cost of all RITM NEQAS programs enrolled for.

Our Local Government Unit issues a voucher wherein the receiver of the payment should sign as received. Can we still send this voucher to be signed from your end.

Yes. Vouchers for signing can be sent to the RITM NEQAS Office.

Request

Can we ask for the memo on the registration fees? We need this to process our voucher for payment.

You may access the memo through this link: https://bit.ly/DM20090086B.

Are invitations to participate in the NEQAS sent to laboratories?

Invitations are no longer sent as participation in the NEQAS is a requirement as stated in DOH Memorandum 2009-0086-B. You may access the memo through this link: https://bit.ly/DM20090086B.

Schedule

When is the start of registration?

For the 2022 RITM NEQAS Cycle, registrations shall open on 20 April 2022 (Wednesday) at exactly 9:00 AM PST* and close strictly on 31 May 2022 (Tuesday) at 11:59 PM PST*.
*Philippine Standard time