Pasig LGU boosts 'detection' strategy thru its newly opened molecular laboratory

Mayor Vico Sotto

CALOOCAN CITY, Sept. 15 (PIA) -- The Pasig City Government has strengthened its COVID-19 "detection" strategy through its newly opened molecular laboratory at the Pasig City Children’s Hospital.

“Inanunsiyo ni Secretary Vince Dizon nung Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) Team visit last Friday na may license to operate [na] 'yung PCR [polymerase chain reaction] testing sa Pasig City Molecular Laboratory,” Mayor Vico Sotto announced in his Facebook live on Monday, Sept. 14.

Sotto said with the city's newest molecular lab, the timeline for testing will be shortened significantly, which can result in the speedier release of the test results.

“Dahil tayo na mismo ang magcoconduct ng PCR testing, bibilis na ang proseso nito,” Sotto said.

Deputy Chief Implementer against COVID-19 Secretary Vince Dizon earlier cited, during the CODE Team visit, that the Pasig City Molecular Laboratory has passed its proficiency testing with only one take. 

Deputy Chief Implementer against COVID-19 Secretary Vince Dizon

"I would like to congratulate the Mayor Vico and the entire Pasig Team dahil ang laboratoryo ninyo ay pumasa na at hindi lamang pumasa kundi ito ay one take lang in proficiency testing," Dizon said. 

The Pasig City Molecular Laboratory is considered as one of the initiatives of the local government under the detection strategy against COVID-19. 

"Itong molecular laboratory ay hindi lamang para sa Pasig, para din ito sa national government para makatulong kami sa mass testing campaign," Pasig City Administrator lawyer Jeronimo Manzanero said in an interview on Friday. 

Other initiatives of the local government for early detection of COVID-19 include the conduct of COVID-19 testing as well as the composition of contact tracing teams down to barangays. 

The local government has also initiated the Pasig City Health Monitoring System that streamlines electronic case management of COVID-19 cases and increased identification of close contacts of COVID-19 patients using technological tools such as bluetooth or GPS-based technologies. (PIA-NCR)

Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)