In June 2017, a team of specialists – silent workers – witnessed the launching of the first-ever Sub National Laboratory (SNL) for the Western Visayas Region. Three years later today, the same group sees the realization of the center’s mission. And they do so at a time the region needs them most with the country and the world in the middle of COVID 19 situation.
March 26, 2020, Iloilo City – Tertiary government hospital Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) is already accepting specimens in light of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) global outbreak. The hospital began examining specimens last Tuesday.
“We are happy to announce that WVMC is now ready to accept specimens for examinations; before we used to send to Manila and Cebu. We should be thankful that Western Visayas has the capability to examine for us to know the real positivity status of Western Visayas,” states Marlyn Convocar, Regional Director of the Department of Health Center for Health Development Western Visayas (CHD 6), in an article published by the Philippine News Agency.
According to the director, the facility will adhere to the DOH Decision Tool to prioritize patients under investigation (PUI) with severe symptoms, the elderly, and the non-elderly with co-morbidity. Convocar also added that WVMC is the sole sub-national reference laboratory in Western Visayas. Moreover, the facility will cater to all specimens in the region (Region VI).
As of March 23, Western Visayas has a recorded 38,893 persons under monitoring (PUM) and 211 persons under investigation. To date, there are already reported confirmed cases of coronavirus.
