Manila Bulletin
Philippines
PNP starts testing its own personnel with the approval of its RT-PCR facility
Philippines
PNP starts testing its own personnel with the approval of its RT-PCR facility
PNP starts testing its own personnel with the approval of its RT-PCR facility
Published May 25, 2020 12:00 am
By Aaron Recuenco
Starting Tuesday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be operating its testing center for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which can accommodate a maximum of 150 tests per day.
(PNP-PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said the PNP’s testing center will be in full operation after the Department of Health gave them the go-signal to start the testing after they were able to comply with all the requirements for the operation of the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) facility at Camp Crame.
“It’s good that we were able to come up with our own RT-PCR testing center. For a start, we could accommodate 50 but we can go as much as 150 testing capacity per day,” said Gamboa.
While the laboratory is at Camp Crame, Gamboa said policemen based in Metro Manila need not go to their headquarters for the testing.
Instead, he said a truck will be making the rounds to do the testing for policemen on the ground, especially those assigned in the Quarantine Control Points (QCPs).
Gamboa clarified that the RT-PCR testing center will only be for the official use of policemen and their dependents.
“We put this up primarily for the PNP personnel and their dependents. I hope that the public will understand that,” he said.
The PNP has been at the forefront of the enforcement of quarantine rules since March 15.
Based on the latest data, at least 263 policemen already tested positive for COVID-19. Four of them died while 100 others were able to recover. More than 1,000 policemen are classified as probable and suspected virus carriers.
(PNP-PIO / MANILA BULLETIN)
PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said the PNP’s testing center will be in full operation after the Department of Health gave them the go-signal to start the testing after they were able to comply with all the requirements for the operation of the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) facility at Camp Crame.
“It’s good that we were able to come up with our own RT-PCR testing center. For a start, we could accommodate 50 but we can go as much as 150 testing capacity per day,” said Gamboa.
While the laboratory is at Camp Crame, Gamboa said policemen based in Metro Manila need not go to their headquarters for the testing.
Instead, he said a truck will be making the rounds to do the testing for policemen on the ground, especially those assigned in the Quarantine Control Points (QCPs).
Gamboa clarified that the RT-PCR testing center will only be for the official use of policemen and their dependents.
“We put this up primarily for the PNP personnel and their dependents. I hope that the public will understand that,” he said.
The PNP has been at the forefront of the enforcement of quarantine rules since March 15.
Based on the latest data, at least 263 policemen already tested positive for COVID-19. Four of them died while 100 others were able to recover. More than 1,000 policemen are classified as probable and suspected virus carriers.