Push Admin

Marikina to open COVID-19 test hub without DOH nod

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/swjSRtON7qY?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p><br/><br/> <br/>MANILA (<strong>UPDATE</strong>) - The Marikina city government on Tuesday said it would open a COVID-19 testing center in the city even without approval from the Department of Health, as cases of the respiratory disease continued to spike nearly a month since the lockdown of millions in Luzon. </p><p>Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro invoked local governments&#x27; autonomy and the nationwide state of public health emergency for the Friday opening of the P3.8-million molecular laboratory. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">JUST IN: Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro decides to open the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> testing center on Friday without DOH approval, invoking local government autonomy and public health emergency. | via <a href="https://twitter.com/adrianayalin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adrianayalin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://t.co/LeA7VnLiNS">pic.twitter.com/LeA7VnLiNS</a></p>— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/1249882960360169473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">DOH was supposed to inspect the facility yesterday and this morning but failed to do so. | via <a href="https://twitter.com/adrianayalin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adrianayalin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a></p>— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/1249883012289810432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>The city government had moved the facility to a different building after it was initially rejected by the DOH while at the 6th floor of the City Health Office and was found to have failed standards on &quot;space and biosafety</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/26/20/doh-rejects-marikina-lab-for-covid-19-testing-says-it-shouldnt-be-inside-city-hall">DOH rejects Marikina lab for COVID-19 testing, says it shouldn&#x27;t be inside city hall</a></li></ul><p>A shortage of test sites has led to delays in the reporting of COVID-19 cases, the mayor said. As an example, the mayor cited a 75-year-old Marikina resident who died last week 2 days before the results of his COVID-19 test came out positive. </p><p>&quot;Maaaring hindi mali ang datos, pero late ang reporting, and I would say late reporting is a wrong reporting,&quot; Teodoro told reporters. </p><p>(Perhaps the data is not wrong, but it was late reporting, and I would say late reporting is wrong reporting.) </p><p>He also said the health department failed to inspect the laboratory on Monday. </p><p>DOH representatives arrived at the lab after Teodoro&#x27;s announcement. </p><p>DOH later told media, “We have a DOH team currently assessing the Marikina laboratory. Dr. Leviste&#x27;s team is currently onsite.”</p><p>“This is to dispel claims that DOH is not coordinating,” it said.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Mayor Teodoro: I-demanda na nila ako para sa kababayan ko. Sa tingin ko mas malaking kasalanaan sa batas at tao ang kawalang aksyon ng DOH ngayon dahil buhay ang nawawala. | via <a href="https://twitter.com/adrianayalin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adrianayalin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a></p>— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/1249883140719403008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2020</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>The mayor, meanwhile, said he would face possible repercussions if only to get the laboratory operational. </p><p>&quot;Idemanda na nila ako para sa kababayan ko. Sa tingin ko mas malaking kasalanan sa batas at tao ang kawalang-aksyon ng DOH ngayon dahil buhay ang nawawala,&quot; he added. </p><p>(They can press charges against me. I think the inaction of the DOH is a bigger crime against the law and the public because lives are lost.) </p><p>Marikina&#x27;s laboratory can run up to 100 tests a day and help screen potential cases of the respiratory disease in neighboring towns, he earlier said. </p><p>The facility was developed with the help of the University of the Philippines-National Institutes for Heath, which produced the first Filipino-made COVID-19 test kits. </p><p>Marikina officials have started transferring equipment to the laboratory in Bayan-Bayanan Avenue from its original location at the city hall. </p><p>Private institution Manila HealthTek will also provide additional equipment and train technicians for the laboratory, said its sales and marketing director Maricar Ocampo. </p><p>The Philippines has 10 COVID-19 testing sites nationwide. Five laboratories accredited Monday will need 3 to 4 more days of preparation, said the health department. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/14/20/philippine-covid-19-testing-has-15000-backlog-pandemic-plan-chief ">Philippine COVID-19 testing has 15,000 backlog: gov&#x27;t </a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/14/20/resources-insufficient-to-test-filipinos-without-covid-19-symptoms-health-dept">Resources insufficient to test Filipinos without COVID-19 symptoms: health dept</a></li></ul><div><strong>- With reports from Adrian Ayalin and Kristine Sabillo, ABS-CBN News </strong></div>

<p>The Marikina government on Tuesday said it would open a COVID-19 testing center in the city even without approval from the Department of Health, as cases of the respiratory disease continued to spike nearly a month the lockdown of millions in Luzon. </p>

The Marikina government on Tuesday said it would open a COVID-19 testing center in the city even without approval from the Department of Health, as cases of the respiratory disease continued to spike nearly a month the lockdown of millions in Luzon.