It earlier also said it is targeting a 30,000 daily testing capacity by May 30.
To date, the Department of Health has certified a total of 22 laboratories nationwide to perform real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for COVID-19, with UP-PGH Medical Research Laboratory and the Singapore Diagnostic recently joining the list of licensed facilities.
According to Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Vince Dizon, they are aiming to operate at least 78 laboratories by May 30, which would be “strategically located” across the country to address future surges in the communities.
A total of 58 laboratories are now currently on stages 3 to 5 of the accreditation process, based on a report released by the DOH on Sunday. Under stage 3, hospital personnel undergo training for coronavirus testing. Stage 4 is tagged as the proficiency stage, while stage 5 is the full scale implementation stage and the point in which a laboratory is considered certified.
“We need to speed up the accreditation of these laboratories in order for them to begin operation within the month of May,” Dizon said Monday in an aired Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases meeting presided by President Rodrigo Duterte.
The BCDA president, who is also deputy COVID-19 task force implementer, stressed the need for a more “aggressive” testing in the country so as to immediately identify and isolate those infected with the viral disease. This, he said, is the only way that the government can confidently start easing lockdown restrictions.
Dizon pointed to the “swift” response of the governments of New Zealand, Korea, Vietnam, and Germany which have “tested broadly” and have seen positive progress in their fight against the pandemic.
“Germany is ahead, with 120,000 tests per day. Very, very aggressive at talagang gumastos sila nang todo-todo rito,” he said, adding that while the RT-PCR tests kits are not cheap, they are “absolutely necessary.”
The Philippines may also draw from the experience of Vietnam, Dizon noted. From having only three laboratories in January, the said Southeast Asian neighbour now has 112 laboratories to test for the deadly virus.
“We need to really invest in the testing capacity also because we know that a vaccine is not forthcoming soon,” Dizon said.
On April 28, the DOH announced that the country can now conduct up to 6,320 COVID-19 tests daily. The department was not able to reach its target daily testing capacity of 8,000 by the end of April, citing problems in services, including the week-long stoppage of operations of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
Nationwide, health officials have recorded 9,485 confirmed cases of the viral illness, with the country logging its highest single-day number of recoveries at 101 on Monday. The country has also so far recorded a total of 623 deaths and 1,315 recoveries.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 5) — In an attempt to ramp up the country’s testing capacity, the government targets to accredit 58 more COVID-19 testing laboratories by the end of May.
