THE Region 1 Medical Center (R1MC) in Dagupan City has started processing rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for COVID-19 using cartridges after it was accredited by the Department of Health’s (DOH) Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau to operate starting June 9.

Dr. Roland Joseph Mejia, R1MC center chief, said the license was granted after two months of waiting but their building and facilities have been ready earlier.

Mejia said the R1MC started operating officially on June 10.  “With this, specimens gathered by LGUs no longer need to be sent to Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center for PCR tests.” he said.

“We can now test COVID-19 through our accredited molecular biology section of the Department of Laboratories,” Mejia said. “Next month we will augment our existing PCR machine to enhance testing capacity of R1MC,” he added.

The equipment licensed to operate is COVID-19 (Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2) testing Laboratory that can process 90 tests per hour is manned by 10 trained medical technologists and a pathologist. It will be operational from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Results of PCR tests are forwarded to the Epidemiology Bureau of the DOH, copy furnished the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit for the data to be sent to the World Health Organization.

He pointed out that it is DOH regional office that advises LGUs of cases that test positive. The results are known within a day or two only.

“But if it’s about our own patient, we would know immediately,” he added.

As of June 11, R1MC already admitted 27 probable COVID patients, out of which 13 are from Dagupan City who were screened in a mass rapid test by the city government.  “They are all well, asymptomatic,” he said.

“R1MC will accept specimens for testing from Pangasinan and other provinces,” Mejia said. (PhilStar Wire Service/ECV)

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