CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, July 29 - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-10 rolled out six Specimen Collection Booths (SCBs) to the Department of Health (DOH)-10 last July 24 in response to the health agency’s request for innovations in fighting COVID-19.
The SCBs were turned-over by DOST-10 Director Alfonso P. Alamban, together with the DOST-10 SCB Team Leader Mr. Virgilio M. Fuertes, to DOH-10 Regional Director Adriano P. Subaan.
The SCBs will give more protection to healthcare workers in collecting samples from patients, and it can help in mass testing to better combat the pandemic.
DOST, through the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERRD) and DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), engaged the Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enterprise, Inc. (FAME) in the fabrication of the booths.
All in all, 132 SCBs are fabricated using the FAME-designed SCB. The design included a thermal scanner and a pressure sensor in each Specimen Collection Booth. The said design is open for local fabricators to adopt.
The SCBs are to be distributed and installed at hospitals pre-identified by the Department of Health. For region 10, Northern Mindanao Medical Center will have two (2) SCBs, two (2) at the Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Medical Center, one (1) at the Amai Pakpak Medical Center, and one at the DOH-CHD-10.
DOST-10 staff headed by Mr. Fuertes initially installed one SCB for a demonstration to DOH-10 staff.
“We did the initial set-up and then give instructions since they [DOH-X] opt to deliver the booths in complete knock-down condition for easy transport," Mr. Fuertes said. (Julie Anne H. Baculio, DOST-10)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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