The Iloilo City Government is eyeing to put up its own laboratory to help expedite testing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said the proposed testing laboratory is worth P15 million, which will be sourced from the financial assistance granted to the city.
“Nabaton na sang City Treasurer’s Office ang extra IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) nga P94 million nga gamiton para lang sa pag-away sa COVID-19,” he told reporters in a press conference last week.
The financial aid is equivalent to the city’s one-month IRA.
Treñas said the amount will be used to procure a 40-foot container van with complete medical equipment.
“Kon pwede ni ma-accredit sang RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine), then we will conduct our COVID-19 testing here. Ginpalantaw ko sa pa DOH (Department of Health) and hambal nila mabulig sila sa accreditation kag sa paghanas sang mga medical technologists.”
The Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) in Mandurriao district is so far the only facility in the city and in the whole Western Visayas region accredited by the DOH to conduct COVID-19 testing.
The city currently has six confirmed cases of COVID-19. The total number includes one death and one recovery.IMT
