OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental (PIA)—A molecular diagnostic laboratory for coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 testing is inaugurated at City Health Compound, here, July 21.

The COVID-19 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory is targeted to help solve the city’s difficulty in processing swab tests among residents for the new COVID-19 variant. It will also accommodate residents of neighboring cities, municipalities and provinces.

Medical Center Chief Dr. Jesus Sanciangco III said the global pandemic caught everyone unprepared and even rocked the foundations of the medical profession as manifested in how COVID-19 cases are being handled.

“It’s already 16 months since the start of this COVID-19 pandemic, March 2020, knowing that MHARS Medical Center is a DOH referral hospital from the start of this pandemic. Of course the basics is to test all our patients, positive or negative of COVID and our frontliners will be able to segregate the patients. We have to send our swab test in Cagayan de Oro City every day or twice a day to test and it was our dream in MHARS MC that we could set up a laboratory testing here in Ozamiz.”

He said the MHARS Medical Center silently worked to fill in the gap in health care deliveries and gave in to the call to take care and save lives of the people of Ozamiz City, of the province and the nearby provinces.

For his part, Mayor Sancho Fernando Oaminal said the MHARMC Asenso Ozamiz laboratory is another testament of the strong partnership of MHARS MC. All operational expenses of COVID testing lab will be shouldered by the LGU. The administration also will help and support MHARSMC in everything they need for a smooth transition and development.

“We have done this because of our strong partnership and we have accomplished this together despite the pandemic and imagined what else we can do moving forward if we continue this strong cooperation and partnership that we have now,” he said.

MHARSMC–Asenso Ozamiz Molecular Biology Laboratory Head Dr. Harold Tee said after a very strict, detailed and sometimes confusing virtual inspection by the Department of Health (DOH), MHARS MC is finally established.

“For this, we are very thankful to the City of Ozamiz for providing us the perfect location for renovation of this building, complete with power generator and air conditioner and also to Dr. Sanciangco and Mr. Roque Roa for their continued support to make this laboratory operational. In the coming days, probably by Wednesday we will start accepting samples from our admitted patients only,” Tee said.

Tee announced that MHARSMC still has to finalize the memorandum of agreement between MHARS MC and various municipalities and hospitals.

With the partnership, Tee said they can improve the quality and dynasty capability for their COVID-19 patients and this will also maintain and sustain the quality of health care that they give to the Ozamiznons and Misamisnons.

“The partnership between MHARSMC and LGU Ozamiz comes at the perfect time where commitment, cooperation and support are badly needed,’’ he added.

As regulated by DOH, the examination fee or maximum cost for the RT-PCR test is pegged at P3,800 and the LGU is hoping that the Asenso Ozamiz Molecular Biology Laboratory could still lower the price.

The City Government of Ozamiz led by Mayor Sancho Fernando Oaminal, Second District Rep. Henry Oaminal and Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center (MHARS MC) Chief Dr. Jesus Sanciangco III and Asenso Ozamiz Molecular Biology Laboratory Head Dr. Harold Tee spearheaded the blessing and ribbon cutting of MHARSMC Asenso Ozamiz Molecular COVID-19 RT-PCR Laboratory testing. (SMRN/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)