ROXAS City – A team from the Department of Health (DOH) and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) inspected the newly-installed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mobile testing laboratory.
According to Roxas City’s Mayor Ronnie Dadivas, the assessment aims to check the readiness of the relocatable containerized laboratory to conduct the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing of suspected COVID-19 cases in the city and Capiz province.
The team was headed by Dr. Jose Eugenio Hautea along with Arch. Rene Leonardo and Michelle Casagan of the DOH, Joan Bato and Engr. Archie Reyes from the RITM.
The assessment covered not only the physical layout and equipment but also the manpower complement, workflow, and management system, among others.
The city government expressed elation due to positive feedback from the assessment team in terms of the laboratory’s engineering, physical, biosafety, and laboratory readiness.
Though there are only some minor gaps that need to be filled in for a smooth start of the operation, said Dadivas.
The assessment team commended the city government’s initiative to establish its own RT-PCR laboratory.
If Dr. Hautea were to assess, the testing laboratory could start operating soon once all their recommendations are put in place.
A proficiency test will also be carried out for those who will manage and man the laboratory.
The city government targets to make the laboratory operational before September ends.
With its own testing facility, Dadivas is hopeful that the city can eventually win the fight against COVID-19.
The city mayor hopes for a faster releasing of COVID-19 test results.
“Ini isa sa mga pamaagi agud makontrolar naton ang madasig nga pagdamo sang COVID-19 cases sa syudad sang Roxas. Mas temprano nga magguwa ang resulta sang swab test sang mga suspected cases mas dako ang tyansa nga malikawan naton ang paglapta sang balatian,” said Dadivas./PN
