WHO, DOH inspect proposed Covid-19 test labs in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Representatives from the World Health Organization and the Department of Health arrived here on Wednesday to inspect the proposed coronavirus, or Covid-19, testing facilities at the Zamboanga City Medical Center and two others.

Teams from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and the Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau accompanied the experts from the World Health Organization.

The proposed laboratories, including one from the Department of Agriculture and Philippine Red Cross, will serve the Zamboanga Peninsula region composed of Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte; and also Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi provinces.

Just recently, the Department of Health opened the Covid-19 testing facility at the Lung Center of the Philippines. And continues to conduct Covid-19 testing accreditation process of at least 46 government and private hospitals and laboratories and among them are the Bicol Public Health Laboratory and the Western Visayas Medical Center and St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City and Bonifacio Global City which are also near-accreditation.

Mayor Beng Climaco, head of the local task force on Covid-19, extended Wednesday the enhanced community quarantine from April 14 to April 30 to protect residents from the deadly virus. Health professionals here also recommended the continuation of the strict observance of the enhanced community quarantine.

She said the Department of Social Welfare and Development has turned over to the local government the first tranche of the Social Amelioration Program worth over P582 million. 

Mayor Beng Climaco (Bong Serondo)

The program is funded by the national government targeting low-income households or those on subsistence economy or workers in the informal economy, who are assessed to be the most affected by the declaration of the enhanced community quarantine given their existing life situations or circumstances.

Climaco and Vice Mayor Rommel Agan also donated their salaries to help feed the poor. (Zamboanga City)

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