Gov. Arthur Yap hints the plan for the provincial government to come up with its own polymerase chain reaction (PCR) molecular laboratory to complement the one being put up at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH).
Yap revealed the plan in an interview over Open Forum radio program today, Monday, May 11, 2020 anchored by Ardy Araneta Batoy and Dave Albarado.
The CGCMH is being eyed as a testing laboratory, which makes Bohol less dependent on Cebu for the Covid testing needs.
The governor said that a second testing lab is needed as the future testing lab at GCGMH may not be able alone to handle the potential surge in test demands once the province opens up to accept the stranded Boholanos and other guests.
He added the second laboratory should be able to process from 800 to 1,000 tests per day.
In the new normal, the testing capabilities are critical in the fight against the spread of the virus, when it comes to accepting the returning Boholanos or the visiting investors to the province.
Meantime, Yap in the same interview, said the recent inspection of the GCGMH is a success.
Last Saturday, a team composed of representatives from the National Task Force Against Covid-19, Department of Health, Research Institute on Tropical Medicine, and World Health Organization paid a visit here to inspect the GCGMH.
The inspection is in line with the plan to make the GCGMH a host of a molecular PCR laboratory.
Moreover, the governor said a few civil works are needed to be done in the area eyed as molecular lab as the operationalization of the laboratory is expected by June 15, 2020. (DSA)