DOH says P7 billion outlay available to buy more RT-PCR machines, test kits
(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte directed the Department of Health to buy more RT-PCR tests so that more people could be tested for COVID-19, and help in the immediate detection, isolation and treatment of cases.
Duterte, during his Talk To The People on Monday, January 10, asked Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to buy the needed RT-PCR tests, considered the “gold standard” in testing for the COVID-19 virus.
The President said that the RT-PCR testing capacity would be increased in the NCR (National Capital Region) plus areas “to handle the influx of tests and to ensure that laboratories are operational seven days a week.”
“Ang universal complaint talaga is kulang ang — ang facilities ng ano, itong RT-PCR. We need to buy more,” Duterte said.
Duque said that the expansion of RT-PCR testing laboratories is ongoing. He said that there are also around P7 billion outlay for the purchase of more RT-PCR tests.
-Expansion ongoing for RT-PCR tests in provinces-
“Our expansion is ongoing because we would want that every province will have an RT-PCR, but also the private sector is building more RT-PCR laboratories. So in all, we have 312 laboratories,” the health chief said.
“Mayroon naman tayong pera for the 2022 Budget. We have asked — I think there — kung hindi ako nagkakamali mga seven — P7 billion ang outlay for that. So we will just continue to buy some more,” Duque said.
“Buy… Sige, magbili ka kay para makatulong tayo sa marami,” President Duterte said.
Duterte noted the high COVID-19 positivity rate in the country – 46 percent as of January 10. This means at least four out of 10 who are tested for COVID-19 turn out to be positive.
On Monday, January 20, the country posted a record-high of 33,169 COVID-19 cases bringing the total active cases to 157,536. In Metro Manila alone, the new cases reached 18,629 ay mula sa NCR. This is the region with the highest case load. NCR is followed by Region 4-A (CALABARZON) with 7,494 cases, and then by Region 3 (Central Luzon) with 3,420 new cases.
Duterte said it is important to reduce the mobility in areas with high Covid-19 cases, especially since the Omicron variant suspected to be propelling the spike in cases, is highly infectious – up to five times more infectious than the Delta variant.
-Alert Level 3 areas-
“So what we did was after placing Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna under Alert Level 3 to reduce the mobility and the exposure of the coronavirus. More localities will be placed under the stricter quarantine period pagka talagang grabe ang sitwasyon,” Duterte said.
“The following areas are under [Alert] Level 3 from January 9-15, 2022, and it’s: Batangas, Bataan, Cagayan, Pampanga, Zambales, those are the provinces. Now the cities: Angeles City, Baguio City, Dagupan City, Iloilo City, Lapu-Lapu City, Lucena City, Naga City, Olongapo and Santiago Cities.”
“Businesses are required to operate at 30 percent indoor capacity and 50 percent outdoor capacity in areas under [Alert] Level 3. Buses, jeepneys and other forms of public transportation operate at 70 percent capacity,” Duterte said.
(Eagle News Service)
