THE Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau (HFSRB) of the Department of Health (DOH) has finally issued a license to the Pangasinan Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory allowing it to conduct Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests.

Located at the premises of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in Barangay Bolingit, San Carlos City, the laboratory was inaugurated December 18 last year by Governor Amado  Espino III.

The facility was established by the provincial government to fast-tract the testing and release of results of specimens of patients suspected to be infected with COVID-19.

Dr. Anna de Guzman, provincial health officer, said the laboratory will shorten waiting time in processing specimens of suspected COVID-19 positives.

She said when the pandemic hit Pangasinan, her agency had to submit specimens collected from suspected carriers to the Baguio City General Hospital in Baguio City for processing and it took days for the results to be released.

The license issued in the name of Dr. Aurelio Carino, PPH chief, was signed by Atty. Nicolas Lutero III, Director V, by authority of Health Secretary Francisco Duque.

The molecular diagnostic laboratory was classified by HFSRB as a COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2)  testing laboratory facility.

Dr. De Guzman said the laboratory can process 92 specimens every two hours.

The facility will be manned by medical technologists who underwent extensive training at the Research Center for Tropical Medicine in Alabang and the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Meanwhile, Dr. Rhuel Bobis, spokesman of the Department of Health in Region 1, said the Pangasinan  Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory is the third laboratory authorized by DOH to conduct  RT-PCR test in Pangasinan, and the fifth in Region 1.

The two other RT-PCR testing laboratories are at the Region 1 Medical Center and the Villaflor Doctors Memorial Hospital, both in Dagupan City. (Leonardo Micua)

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