Negros Occidental’s provincial government is set to receive financial assistance of PHP5 million from the Department of Health (DOH) to boost the operation of its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) laboratory.
The Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) Molecular Laboratory in Silay City has been operating since the first week of June after being certified by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) to perform Covid-19 tests.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday he has already signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the DOH after he was given the authority by the Provincial Board.
“We’re fortunate that we will receive help from the DOH. I just have to send back the MOA that I signed,” Lacson said.
He noted that DOH 6 (Western Visayas) Director Marlyn Convocar herself is assisting the province in following up on the transfer of the amount.
Lacson said the Association of Chief Executives (ACE) – Negros Occidental, headed by Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, has expressed intent to donate for the operations of the molecular laboratory.
“I was talking to Mayor Palanca, the president of ACE. He said that LGUs (local government units) are willing to make a donation. It’s more of a message that we’re all in this together,” he said.
Starting June, the TLJPH Molecular Laboratory has been processing all swab samples taken from arriving Negrenses required to undergo the mandatory reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.
On Wednesday alone, it released 363 results, 21 of which were positive.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II earlier said the province’s Covid-19 testing laboratory, which will have three RT-PCR test machines, has 40 medical technologists trained for deployment.
The PHP50-million budget used to establish the molecular laboratory was sourced from the additional Internal Revenue Allotment share of the province from the national government. (Nanette Guadalquiver)