With the constant pleading of the Filipinos for mass testing, is this the answer?
It has been reported that one of the best ways to rally against COVID-19 is through testing. Unless one knows his/her case, you will never know what steps to take thereafter. You will always turn a blind-eye and worse, you could even spread the virus unknowingly.
Hence, when the University of the Philippines National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) developed testing kits, we are seeing a silver lining . Though it is still unused as of writing, it is set to complete field validation on April 1.
Should these local testing kits of UP-NIH be approved, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be issuing the Certificate of Product Registration on April 3, 2 days after the approval.
The Manila HealthTekc Inc., funded by DOST and UP-NIH could manufacture up to 1,300 testing kits for an equivalent kf 26,000 tests. These kits will then be distributed to:
- Philippine General Hospital
- Makati Medical Center
- The Medical City
- Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center
- Southern Philippines Medical Center
- Baguio General Hospital
Compared to the foreign-made kits sold at P8,000, these locally-made kits will be sold at only P1,300 per piece.
Should these kits be approved, the next prayer brigade we have to conduct is for DOH to find more accredited laboratories for these testing kits. As of writing, there are only six laboratories approved facility for COVID-19 testing:
- Research Institute for Tropical Medicine
- San Lazaro Hospital
- Baguio General Hospital
- Medical Center for Luzon
- Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City
- Southern Philippines Medical Center
With other laboratories are awaiting for assessment, may they be approved the soonest possible so we could combat with this pandemic the sooner.
May we never cease praying and protecting one another. We are bigger than this virus and so is our God. We can do this!
COVID-19 Cebu
As the threat of the Coronavirus 2019 or COVID-19 rises every day, the Cebu province has taken a proactive approach and is pulling all stops in protecting the island. Here’s everything you need to know about COVID-19 and its symptoms: https://sugbo.ph/2020/corona-virus-in-cebu/
With this, an Executive Order was issued for the implementation of the drastic but necessary measures to avoid the spread of the virus. For more information, head on to: https://sugbo.ph/2020/cebu-implements-drastic-measures/
If you are sick and think you have symptoms of COVID-19, seek medical attention, call the local Coronavirus Health Information Line for advice: 0922-397-2334 / 0943-568-3298 / (032) 402-3091 / (032) 402-1269.
