CSF-GREEN CITY PACT: Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago shows signed MOA with Green City Medical Center president–CEO Dr. Hazel P. Peñafiel. Standing as witnesses are Vice Mayor Jimmy T. Lazatin, Dr. Vincent Deoduco, Dr. Renely P. Tungol, Dr. Ronaldo Panganiban Jr., and city health officers. – CSF-CIO
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago, on April, 14, signed a memorandum of agreement with Dr. Hazel P. Peñafiel, president and CEO of Green City Medical Center.
The MOA seeks to establish the partnership between the city government and Green City to immediately begin massive testing activities in an effort to minimize and, hopefully, drastically reduce cases or Covid-19 infections within San Fernando.
As one of the tertiary health facilities in the capital city, the Green City, classified as a Level 2 Hospital by the Department of Health, is being considered as it has the capability of conducting the testing of patients probably infected with Covid-19.
The health care institution will take charge in complying with the standards in the physical set up of the laboratory to serve as accredited testing facility; and be responsible in the licensing requirements for accreditation with the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
For its part, the LGU will coordinate with Green City on the schedules of Covid-19 testings; procure the Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machine, test kits, and other accessory equipment to be used in the testing; provide capability building activities to Green City health workers and support staff to ensure the proper handling, use and maintenance of the machine and test kits; assist in the licensing requirements for the RITM and PhilHealth accreditation; and, augment the manpower such as medical technologists and administrative aides to expedite testing and release of result/findings.
Dr. Renely Tungol, City Infectious Cluster program manager and incident commander of Incident Management Team, explained that the LGU expects the testing to be done on the third week of April, prioritizing all suspects of Covid-19.
Taking the lead
“One way of mitigating this crisis is thru testing and San Fernando will take the lead in the province. Within this week, validators from RITM will be coming to check the facility. Machines and test kits are also processed. Everything is coming to place for San Fernando and, hopefully, soon we can already conduct the testing,” Tungol remarked.
Mayor Santiago expressed his gratitude to Green City Medical Center for giving its support and allocating resources to help solve the Covid-19 crisis.
“As early as February, the city has been already planning about the testing. We took the pandemic seriously that’s why we came up with this MOA with the Green City. And I thank them for embracing this challenge. In times like this, what we really need is service—a selfless service—whether in the government or in the private sector,” Santiago said.
On behalf of Green City Medical Center, Dr. Alvin Peñafiel, a pulmonologist, enjoined both parties and all support teams to help each other in winning the battle against the virus.
“We will do what we have to do to treat patients. We would like to assure the City of San Fernando that we are committing everything we can give and share to address this Covid-19 calamity,” Peñafiel said.
Present at the MOA signing were Vice Mayor Jimmy T. Lazatin; Dr. Vincent Deoduco of San Fernandino Hospital; Dr. Renely P. Tungol, incident commander; Dr. Ronaldo Panganiban Jr., director of finance of Green City Medical Center; and city health officers.
