Benguet caretaker Rep. Eric Go Yap has donated 10,000 test kits acquired from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for residents of Benguet and Baguio in line with government response against the Covid-19.
The test kits were donated Wednesday at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center by Yap’s Chief of Staff Kevin See in coordination with Baguio Rep. Mark Go and the Benguet General Hospital management.
See said the 10,000 test kits will be equally divided by Benguet and Baguio.
It was not immediately known who will be prioritized in the administration of test kits for individuals from Benguet.
The test kits were coursed through the BGHMC, where the PCR and automated extraction machines donated by Yap to BeGH are currently being used pending the construction of a molecular laboratory for BeGH.
Yap will finance the construction of the BeGH molecular laboratory center worth almost P2 million from his personal funds.
In the memorandum of agreement signed between BGHMC and BeGH, the latter is allotted a minimum of 100 slots per day for its Covid-19 testing at the BGHMC.
Earlier, Yap vowed to closely coordinate with provincial, municipal, and BeGH officials for gradual mass testing for residents, especially those in the identified risk sectors.
Yap has acknowledged that the conduct of mass tests is one of the primary solutions to address the increasing Covid-19 cases in the country with Benguet not spared from the pandemic.
He said the machines donated to BeGH will increase the testing capacity of health facilities, and will help in addressing the backlog of PCR-based tests in Baguio and Benguet.
The Department of Health central office, meanwhile, will dispatch technical personnel who will inspect the proposed site of the BeGH molecular laboratory, as a basis for issuance by the agency of a permit to construct. – Harley F. Palangchao
