Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 17) — After a long battle for accreditation, the COVID-19 testing facility in Marikina City may finally start operations next week, the Department of Health said on Saturday.
The department said the testing center only has a few requirements left to accomplish before it can begin accepting samples. Health Secretary Francisco Duque himself inspected the facility on Friday.
“Almost complete at ready na po ang pasilidad. Kinakailangan na lang po ayusin ang ibang aspeto ng laboratoryo katulad ng proficiency tests ng mga technicians,” said Health spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire in the DOH daily online briefing.
[Translation: The facility is almost complete and ready. They only need to fix other aspects of the laboratory such as the proficiency tests of its technicians.]
Mayor Marcy Teodoro initially proposed in March to set up the testing center on the sixth floor of the City Health Office, but the DOH turned down its accreditation saying it did not pass space and biosafety guidelines. The mayor found a new location for the testing center four days later.
After another inspection on the new location on April 14, the laboratory was still not allowed to operate, with the DOH saying its laboratory personnel still needed to be trained.
Teodoro made known his keen sentiment on starting mass testing in the city and vowed to operate the laboratory with or without the nod of the health department. He said he was ready for any legal consequences.
Marikina City’s COVID-19 testing laboratory is capable of processing up to 400 samples daily.
