Palawan COVID-19 testing center to start soon
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY — A testing center for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) would soon start its operation in this city as Ospital Ng Palawan (ONP) hurdles the few remaining steps in getting its license to operate.
Dr. Mary Ann Navarro, chief of the provincial health office (PHO), said in an online press briefing on Wednesday, that ONP’s bid for certification would crunch the test result waiting time down to two hours, instead of the prolonged turnaround time when sending samples to Metro Manila.
She said the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) personnel were set to grant ONP’s license to operate on Thursday.
“A visitor will arrive tomorrow for the license. This is the final procedure, but RITM has already certified [ONP]. Any time, we can start testing. We will no longer send samples to Manila,” she added.
Dr. Melecio Dy, hospital director of ONP, in a separate interview, echoed Navarro’s statement but pointed out that the license to operate was still pending. The laboratory would have to be re-assessed after complying with the “technical aspect” of the facility imposed by the Department of Health (DOH).
“We will know hopefully by tomorrow the response of the licensing office. We have complied (with) the technical aspect of the facility requirement,” Dy said.
Renee Joy Batiforra, spokesperson of Palawan’s Health office, said that the regulations, licensing and enforcement division (RLED) team of Center for Health Development (CHD) in Mimaropa, was poised to have ONP’s “final assessment” this week.
“[ONP personnel] have finished training so the next step is the final assessment from RLED,” she said.
