The long overdue accreditation of R1MC

THE recent accreditation of Region1 Medical Center by the Department of Health authorized to test specimens for rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for COVID-19 using cartridges should help efforts of the provincial government to flatten the curve with certainty.

For too long, hundreds of persons under investigation risked dying before they could get the proper medical attention and treatment all because confirmation of detected symptoms of the virus was taking almost 7-10 days.

Perhaps, it can be said that fortunately for Pangasinan, the death toll of COVID-19 was only nine fatalities. Indeed, we dare say the deaths have been avoided if only they were immediately given the proper treatment.

What most in the medical sector in Pangasinan could not comprehend then and now was why Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (Benguet), Ilocos Training and Regional Training Center (La Union) and Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital (Ilocos Norte) were ahead of R1MC knowing that the Health Secretary, Dr. Francisco Duque III is a Pangasinense.

If R1MC was not fully capacitated that it was not ready for accreditation, why was it not supported since Pangasinan is the most populated province in northern and central Luzon? Or, was internal politics vs. R1MC behind the delay precisely to embarrass Sec. Duque? If so, what prevented Sec. Duque from acting on it?

While these questions may appear academic today, Sec. Duque still owes it to Pangasinan to explain what took so long for DOH to accredit Pangasinan that cost the lives of nine Pangasinenses who were deprived of proper medical attention because early results of the confirmatory tests could not be had.

 

 ‘No vaccine, no school’

FIRST, President Duterte offered P10 million as a reward to a Filipino scientist who could invent the vaccine for the Covid-19.  Very inspiring. Then he sweetened the pot, jacking it up to P50 million. It’s been almost two months but no vaccine yet.  Even our esteemed scientists from the First World are still unable to find the antidote to the pandemic virus.  Amid this scenario, Mr. Duterte said: “No vaccine, no school.”  But Education Secretary Leonor Briones defied the order, ordering enrolment for school year 2020-2021 to begin on June 1, with classes set to open on August 24.  Only a measly 300,000-plus students complied as millions of parents refused to enroll their children for fear of virus infection.  A move to allow face-to-face learning will be discussed beginning June 15 in provinces free of Covid-19.   At first glance, this looks OK.  But will the President budge?  Doubtful.

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