Gov. Albert Garcia, far left, leads ribbon-cutting rites opening the RT-PCR lab in Mariveles, Bataan. Contributed photo
MARIVELES, Bataan — The Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT–PCR) laboratory here started operation after its blessing and a short program Friday.
The Mariveles RT-PCR is the second testing laboratory for the coronavirus disease in the province next to the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center in Balanga City. Both are government-run hospitals.
It is under the Mariveles District Hospital (MDC) Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory that can conduct 500 RT-PCR tests daily, Gov. Albert Garcia said.
The provincial government did not spend anything for the equipment, the project being under the public-private-partnership scheme with Macare Medicals, Inc., Perkin Elmer and Esco Philippines, Inc.
The Department of Health through its provincial director Dr. Francisco Hermoso awarded the license to operate to the facility.
The governor also announced that vaccination of senior citizens started Thursday in the sports complex of Limay town and the AG Llamas Elementary School in Mariveles.
This, he said, are in addition to inoculation centers earlier established at the Orion Elementary School and Lou-is Resort and Bataan People’s Center in Balanga City.
Garcia has asked municipal mayors to establish vaccination centers in each of the 11 towns and a city in the province to speed-up the inoculation process.
Joining the governor in the ceremony were 2nd District Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III, Vice-Gov. Cris Garcia, Mariveles Mayor Jocelyn Castañeda, provincial health office chief Dr. Rosanna Buccahan, Macare Medicals representative Aristotle De Pano, MDC chief Dr. Hector Santos, and Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan administrator Emmanuel Pineda.
