Davao de Oro --- The Provincial Government of Davao de Oro opened its first COVID-19 Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at the Provincial Hospital-Montevista (DdOPH) on Friday (March 5, 2021) after it was granted a license to operate by the Department of Health (DOH).
The laboratory has one PCR machine that can process 90 samples a day using the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. It will have a result turn-around time of two operating days.
In his statement, Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy said that the laboratory will help improve the province government's testing efforts in its COVID-19 response.
“Mapasalamton ko sa atuang mga provincial doctors ug partners ang Philippine Genome Center (PGC) of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao ug ang Department of Science and Technology (DOST) XI nga giubanan kita sa pila ka bulan nga giagian natung proseso aron mahimo kining accredited ug operational aron magamit ug mas mapadali ang testing capacity sa probinsya”, Uy said.
He emphasized that increasing testing capacity will enable the government to provide appropriate responses especially to those most in need and rest assured that the medical technologists who will operate the said molecular laboratory are well-trained.
Present during the inauguration were Vice Governor Maria Carmen Zamora, Annabelle Yumang, Regional Director of Department of Health, Chancellor Larry Digal of UP Mindanao, Director Lyre Murao of the Philippine Genome Center, Regional Director Anthony Sales of DOST XI, Ferdinand Anthony Soberano, PEEMO PG- Department Head and provincial doctors.
In the long run, the laboratory can also accommodate other tests of various emerging diseases in the future.
Davao de Oro has a total of 1,156 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of March 4, 2021, of this number, 122 are active cases, 992 recovered, and 42 have died from the virus. (Rheafe Hortizano, Provincial Office of Davao de Oro, Photo Courtesy of Ronel Renz B. Alvarez)
