Set up COVID-19 test labs in Mindanao regional hospitals, says solon
Published Apr 2, 2020 12:00 am
By Ellson Quismorio
Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro, 2nd district) is urging the Department of Health (DOH) to accredit all regional hospitals in Mindanao as COVID-19 testing laboratories.
Rodriguez said in a statement Thursday that, at present, only the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City has been designated as a testing laboratory.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez (Rufus Rodriguez official Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
He said while the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro has been selected as a COVID-19 referral center, “up to now, it has no testing laboratory and no test kits.”
“The swab samples are still sent to Davao City, causing much delay,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said the immediate selection of more laboratories and deployment of test kits are in line with the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the mass evaluation of suspected 2019 novel coronavirus carriers.
This is also the recommendation of various groups of businessmen, doctors, local leaders, and other concerned citizens in Mindanao, he noted.
He stressed that the designation of regional testing centers would make COVID-19 examination accessible to the people of Mindanao and contribute immensely to preventing the spread of the virus.
“Many of our regions are far from Davao City, like the Zamboanga area and the islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi,” said Rodriguez, who chairs the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments.
He added that some of his House colleagues have echoed his suggestion and endorsed their joint proposal to Health Secretary Francisco Duque lll and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez (Rufus Rodriguez official Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
He said while the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro has been selected as a COVID-19 referral center, “up to now, it has no testing laboratory and no test kits.”
“The swab samples are still sent to Davao City, causing much delay,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said the immediate selection of more laboratories and deployment of test kits are in line with the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the mass evaluation of suspected 2019 novel coronavirus carriers.
This is also the recommendation of various groups of businessmen, doctors, local leaders, and other concerned citizens in Mindanao, he noted.
He stressed that the designation of regional testing centers would make COVID-19 examination accessible to the people of Mindanao and contribute immensely to preventing the spread of the virus.
“Many of our regions are far from Davao City, like the Zamboanga area and the islands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi,” said Rodriguez, who chairs the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments.
He added that some of his House colleagues have echoed his suggestion and endorsed their joint proposal to Health Secretary Francisco Duque lll and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.