Bohol does not anymore need to send its specimens to Cebu or Manila if
the province’s facility will be accredited as a Covid-19 treating laboratory for
the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
In this connection, a team from the National Task Force Against Covid-19
(NTFAC) has just visited Bohol to inspect the province’s facility for possible
accreditation as a Covid-19 treating laboratory where the specimens for the
polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests need not anymore be sent to Cebu
or Manila.
As reported a few weeks ago, Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital
(GCGMH) presented itself for the possibility of accrediting it to be the local
molecular laboratory. The GCGMH is a level-3 hospital.
Moving a step towards the realization of this project, yesterday, the hospital
was inspected by a team from the NTFAC, Department of Health (DoH),
Research Institute on Tropical Medicine (RITM), and World Health
Organization (WHO).
One of the members of the team is Bases Conversion and Development
Authority (BCDA) with the president and chief executive officer, Vivencio
Dizon, who serves as the deputy chief implementer.
With the team during the visit to GCGMH, were Rachel Ferro, Fiel dela
Cruz, Ava Sy, Engr. Archie Reyes, and Dr. Jimho Shin.
The team arrived in Bohol via a chartered flight that landed at the Bohol
Panglao International Airport yesterday. Upon arrival at the airport, the
team immediately proceeded to the GCGMH in Tagbilaran City.
Gov. Arthur Yap was informed about the visit by the NTFAC chief
implementer Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. on May 8.
Gov Yap was briefed by Galvez as the latter said that the visit was “In line
with the concerted efforts of the government to mitigate the spread of
Covid-19 and in strengthening our healthcare system in the different parts
of the country.”
In response to the statement of Galvez, Yap said: “Moving forward, we in
Bohol must have our own polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing
capability. We cannot be dependent on Cebu. We have been working on a
PCR laboratory at the Gallares Hospital for the past month and last night, I
received a letter from Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. informing me that they are
sending a team to inspect the Gallares Hospital. Galvez further told me that
this team is composed of five representatives from the DOH, RITM. World
Health Organization (WHO) and the IATF headed by Sec. Vince Dizon,
Covid-19 deputy chief implementer. They are arriving today (May 9) to
make an inspection and will leave early this afternoon.”
As of late last night and even until press time, there was yet no news on the
results of the PCR test conducted on the first batch of OFWs and their
contacts. All the specimens of these OFWs and their contacts were sent to
Cebu for the PCR test.
Last March 27, GCGMH chief of hospital Dr. Mutya Kismet Tirol Macuno
informed the governor during a meeting with the medical advisers that
Bohol had already been identified, as of that time, by the DOH as a
possible testing area for Covid-19 cases.
If Bohol passes the standards, Macuno said, testing may be done here and
those with severe infections are going to be prioritized.
The laboratory that will be placed in the province is going to use the same
kind of testing kits and PCR machine that are now being used at the
Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.
In the event Bohol has a testing laboratory, specimens will be sent to the
RITM for confirmation if the local test results turn out to be positive.
The current PCR machine being used now is originally utilized for
tuberculosis diagnosis, but approved by the Food and Drug Administration
to be used for Covid-19 testing.