The Benguet General Hospital Molecular Testing Laboratory started operation today, February 21, 2021 after the issuance of its License to Operate (LTO) by the Department of Health (DOH) last Friday.
The laboratory started accepting 74 swab samples from BeGH and other municipalities in the province for testing.
The laboratory has a maximum capacity of 2,700 to 2,800 tests per month, but Dr. Meliarazon Dulay, Acting Chief of Hospital at the BeGH, said the maximum number of specimens to be tested will gradually increase as the province plans to train more medical technologists to be assigned at the laboratory especially that an RT-PCR machine will be donated by the DOH to help in the processing of more swab tests.
Governor Dr. Melchor Diclas said it will finally help decongest the number of specimens being tested at the Baguio General Hospital (BGH) and it will also boost the CoVID-19 testing capacity of the province.
As of now, there are ten assigned personnel at the laboratory headed by Dr. Bernadette Baldo.
The laboratory was funded by Congressman Eric Go Yap including the machines while Governor Diclas released funds for the purchase of other needed equipment. (Silver Pilo)