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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Marcos seeks larger budget for RITM

Marcos seeks larger budget for RITM

Published Mar 11, 2020 12:00 am
By Freddie Lazaro LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte – Senator Imee Marcos is seeking a larger budget allocation for the modernization and expansion of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in the face of the challenge being posed in the testing of patients for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Senator Imee Marcos (Senator Imee Marcos Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Senator Imee Marcos (Senator Imee Marcos Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) With the limited number of support centers of the RITM, Marcos said the country’s capacity to conduct COVID-19 tests has been severely challenged, and will be further compromised if a widespread contagion ensues. “Until now, the Department of Health (DOH) has not yet reported the capacity per day of the RITM on COVID-19 testing,”said Marcos adding, “even we have testing kits to buy, if we lack the capable manpower to perform the test, it’s useless.” Marcos alarmed that if the 100 million Filipinos will be affected by the COVID-19, the DOH’s reported 2,000 testing kits will surely not be enough. She lamented that more than 30 years of government neglect towards the RITM has left it undermanned and ill-equipped to cope with the sudden appearance of new viruses and the spread of infection on a large scale. At present, the RITM only has five sub-national centers that can perform Covid-19 testing: The Lung Center and San Lazaro Hospital in Metro Manila, Baguio City General Hospital, Vicente Sotto Medical Center in Cebu, and Southern Philippine Medical Center in Davao del Sur. Marcos recommended that the RITM’s regional presence be increased as soon as possible, starting with the high-population areas of Regions 3 to 5.
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