The University of Cebu Medical Center (UCMed). | CDN Digital photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Health officials from the national government have accredited another privately owned hospital in Cebu to carry out coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests.
The Department of Health (DOH), in their latest COVID-19 report issued on Sunday, July 19, 2020, said they certified two more molecular laboratories in Central Visayas to do real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests. Both newly accredited COVID-19 testing facilities are located in Mandaue City, Cebu.
One of them is owned and operated by the University of Cebu Medical Center (UCMed). It is the second private hospital in Cebu and the first in Mandaue City that received certification from DOH and the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) to carry out RT-PCR tests for COVID-19.
Aside from UCMed, the Philippine Red Cross – Cebu Chapter was also granted certification to operate their own molecular laboratory in Barangay Jagobiao.
It can be recalled that DOH in Central Visayas (DOH – 7), in earlier interviews, said there were at least four privately owned hospitals that applied for laboratory certification to operate their own COVID-19 testing laboratories.
READ: 4 private hospitals in Cebu await accreditation for COVID-19 test labs
This development brings the total number of facilities certified to process COVID-19 tests in Central Visayas to six, and all are found in Cebu province.
The four previously certified facilities are the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), Cebu TB-Reference Laboratory of DOH in Central Visayas, Allegiant Regional Care Hospital, and Prime Care Alpha COVID-19 testing laboratory, which is operated by the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
The Philippines now has a total of 89 accredited COVID-19 testing facilities.
DOH and RITM, the bodies that issue laboratory certifications, are currently processing a total of 180 pending applications. /bmjo
READ: Cebu now has six accredited COVID-19 molecular labs