Baguio eyes own molecular testing laboratory

By Zaldy Comanda BAGUIO CITY – The city government is determined to put up its own molecular laboratory to double efforts in detecting and containing the dreaded Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Mayor Benjamin Magalong, said the city was willing to spend up to P15 million just so it could have its own laboratory operational in the next two or three months. Once installed, the laboratory would greatly speed up determination of the extent of infection in the city and the Cordilleras, improve contact tracing to contain the virus at the soonest possible time, and facilitate timely medical intervention to those infected by COVID-19. At present, the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) has a COVID-19 testing laboratory, but this has been swamped by work as it also caters to samples sent it by provinces from Central and Northern Luzon. Magalong said, the national government through national Anti-COVID action plan chief implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. was willing to pitch in a Reverse Transmission Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machine, an automated extraction machine and a bio-security cabinet, all amounting to P7.1-million. Earlier, Magalong lauded Galvez for being instrumental in the delivery of 3,000-rapid test kits and P10.2-million worth of personal protective equipment (PPEs), which included 5,000-body suits, 5,000-face shields, 5,000-pairs of shoe covers, 5,000-lab gowns, and 5,000 N-95-masks, among others. Magalong proposed that other tools and equipment required to secure accreditation from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) could be sourced through private partners willing to enter into a joint venture with the city. He said that, in a worst case scenario, the lab could address possible “second wave” of infections that may cripple the city’s economy anew, especially with the seeming nonchalance of people that accompanies the gradual reopening of businesses in the city. Magalong stated the city’s molecular laboratory and the hiring of trained personnel to man it will form part of the city government’ recovery and resiliency plan that would usher a “new normal”.