Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard J. Gordon, said the Philippines will be stronger, healthwise, after the COVID pandemic because of the bio-molecular laboratories opened by the Red Cross to ensure victory over COVID-19.
Gordon, head of the only Red Cross Society in the world which has the distinction of having its own bio-molecular laboratory system said the pandemic revolutionized the country’s public health system, adding that emerging and re-emerging diseases could now be tested in the PRC’s facilities.
“After this, the Philippines will be stronger because we will have more molecular laboratories. We are a country that is often hit by diseases. Polio suki tayo, measles, dengue, cancers lahat ‘yan matetest ngayon. Itong mga PCR na binili ng Red Cross pati Zica, TB, leptospirosis, hepatitis lahat yan mate-test and we will become a stronger nation health wise,” he said.
The PRC already opened three molecular laboratories, two in its national headquarter along EDSA and one in its former headquarters in Port Area, Manila. Each facility is equipped with four PCR machines and is capable of running 4,000 tests a day or a total of 12,000 test for all three facilities combined.
In order to conquer COVID, Gordon is planning to put in more machines in the Manila facility since Metro Manila is the epicenter and open up more molecular laboratories in other provinces across the country.
Gordon further pointed out that the on-going pandemic also has a silver lining for a number of the country’s medical technicians because it has provided them with an opportunity to handle more advanced laboratory machines.
“Ang medtech natin hindi nakakahawak ng mga magagandang makina sa laboratory. Karamihan sa kanila, kuha ng dugo, blood pressure. Ngayon tuwang-tuwa sila dahil nakakahawak sila, naka- PPE pa sila. Talagang nagri-risk sila ng buhay nila para lang magamot ‘yung mga tao,” he said.
