Manila Bulletin
Philippines
PH Red Cross to open laboratory in Cebu to stop spread of COVID-19 in Central Visayas
Philippines
PH Red Cross to open laboratory in Cebu to stop spread of COVID-19 in Central Visayas
PH Red Cross to open laboratory in Cebu to stop spread of COVID-19 in Central Visayas
Published May 16, 2020 12:00 am
By Jel Santos
To stop the spread of the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Central Visayas, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) said it will soon open a bio-molecular laboratory in Cebu City.
Philippine Red Cross (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
PRC Chairman Richard Gordon noted that, with Cebu City located in Central Visayas, building a testing facility in the province would boost the capacity of the region, where nearly 2,000 cases have been recorded as of May 12.
The humanitarian organization said the Security Bank Foundation donated P15 million for the construction of the facility, and its equipment.
“We thank the Security Bank Foundation for making this generous donation. The need for testing cannot be over-emphasized in order to unmask the virus and prevent or control its spread. We are grateful that Security Bank Foundation partnered with us in this endeavour which would save the lives of our countrymen in the Central Visayas. Security Bank has always been one of the generous donors of the Red Cross,” he expressed.
According to PRC, the board of trustees of the Security Bank Foundation recently approved a P15-million donation to the PRC to set up a bio-molecular laboratory at the its chapter located along Osmena Boulevard, Cebu City.
Security Bank has been a long-time regular donor of the Red Cross, Gordon said.
The PRC chairman recently reiterated the need for COVID-19 testing in the country, following the pronouncement of the World Health Organization that COVID-19 could become endemic or regularly found and very common among a particular group of area, just like human immunodeficiency virus or HIV.
Health experts have noted that early detection is important to stop the spread of the fatal disease.
It can be recalled that PRC already opened two testing centers that are both equipped with polymerase chain machines that can run up to a total of 8,000 tests a day.
The humanitarian organization said its testing capacity would expand to 20,000, with the opening of another testing center in Port Area, Manila this week and four others in Subic, Clark, Batangas and Los Banos in the next few weeks.
The PRC is eyeing to open at least 14 bio-molecular laboratories throughout the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases that may emerge or re-emerge in the future.
Philippine Red Cross (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
PRC Chairman Richard Gordon noted that, with Cebu City located in Central Visayas, building a testing facility in the province would boost the capacity of the region, where nearly 2,000 cases have been recorded as of May 12.
The humanitarian organization said the Security Bank Foundation donated P15 million for the construction of the facility, and its equipment.
“We thank the Security Bank Foundation for making this generous donation. The need for testing cannot be over-emphasized in order to unmask the virus and prevent or control its spread. We are grateful that Security Bank Foundation partnered with us in this endeavour which would save the lives of our countrymen in the Central Visayas. Security Bank has always been one of the generous donors of the Red Cross,” he expressed.
According to PRC, the board of trustees of the Security Bank Foundation recently approved a P15-million donation to the PRC to set up a bio-molecular laboratory at the its chapter located along Osmena Boulevard, Cebu City.
Security Bank has been a long-time regular donor of the Red Cross, Gordon said.
The PRC chairman recently reiterated the need for COVID-19 testing in the country, following the pronouncement of the World Health Organization that COVID-19 could become endemic or regularly found and very common among a particular group of area, just like human immunodeficiency virus or HIV.
Health experts have noted that early detection is important to stop the spread of the fatal disease.
It can be recalled that PRC already opened two testing centers that are both equipped with polymerase chain machines that can run up to a total of 8,000 tests a day.
The humanitarian organization said its testing capacity would expand to 20,000, with the opening of another testing center in Port Area, Manila this week and four others in Subic, Clark, Batangas and Los Banos in the next few weeks.
The PRC is eyeing to open at least 14 bio-molecular laboratories throughout the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases that may emerge or re-emerge in the future.