BY BENJAMIN MOSES M. EBREO
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (May 11)—The provincial government will be putting up its own reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory to hasten monitoring, detection and treatment of suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients.
Engineer Edgardo Sabado, Provincial Planning and Development Office chief, said the establishment of the RT-PCR laboratory is one of the priority projects to be implemented at the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital (NVPH) in Bambang town this year.
He said this will improve and boost the Covid-19 response of the provincial government through its frontline health workers in its five hospitals in the province and the Department of Health (DoH).
“It will speed up our detection and treatment for our suspected Covid-19 patients so that further transmission of the virus will be further prevented,” Sabado said.
Dr. Edwin Galapon, Provincial Health Office chief, said having a dedicated RT-PCR laboratory in the province will enable health workers to know positive and negative results of suspected Covid-19 patients in a day compared to the two to 7 days period waiting time from laboratories and testing centers outside the province due to a huge number of RT-PCR requests and referrals.
He said the RT-PCR laboratory has already an initial fund of P5 million from the provincial government for the construction of its building.
“The building construction is now up for public bidding while the other equipment and facilities will also be funded so that it will be fully equipped and operational the soonest possible time,” Galapon said.
He added that the Region 2 Trauma and Medical Center(R2TMC) in Bayombong will also put up its own RT-PCR laboratory through the DoH.
Galapon said the RT-PCR laboratory and the P10 million isolation building are some of the major infrastructure projects to be implemented within the NVPH.
Other projects will be the P140 million Charity Ward Building, Medical Arts Building and Waste Water Treatment Facility.