The University of the Philippines-National Institutes for Health (UP-NIH) will start the distribution of locally-produced test kits for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) within the week, a health official said Monday.
“Ang mga susunod na ospital ay mabibigyan na ng mga UP-NIH test kits na ito (The following hospitals will be given the UP-NIH test kits) Philippine General Hospital, Baguio General Hospital, and Medical Center, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Makati Medical Center, and The Medical City,” said Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the Beat Covid-19 virtual briefing.
Vergeire added that the 1,300 real-time polymerase chain reaction test kits can perform 26,000 Covid-19 tests.
To ensure the safety and protection of healthcare workers nationwide, Vergeire said the DOH would continue with the delivery of the procured personal protective equipment.
“Ngayong linggo na ito (This week) we’re waiting for 300,000 n95 face masks, 271,100 gowns, 18,000 coveralls, 26,250 goggles, 52,500 shoe covers, 52,500 aprons and 500 non-contact infrared thermometers we’ll distribute to different hospitals and quarantine facilities,” she added.
To date, there are 17 laboratories certified by the DOH to perform Covid-19 tests.
These laboratories are:
• Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City
• San Lazaro Hospital in Manila City
• Chinese General Hospital, Manila
• University of Philippines National Institutes of Health, Manila
• St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City
• St. Luke’s Medical Center in BGC, Taguig City
• Makati Medical Center in Makati City
• Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City
• The Medical City in Ortigas, Pasig City
• Victoriano Luna Hospital in Quezon City
• Detoxicare Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory in Mandaluyong City
• Philippine Red Cross in Mandaluyong City
• Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center in Baguio City
• Bicol Regional Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory in Legazpi City
• Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City
• Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City; and
• Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City (PNA)
