Go urges DOH to equip hospitals, testing centers outside Luzon for COVID-19 detection

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go urged the Department of Health (DOH) to immediately equip and capacitate hospitals and designate testing centers in areas outside Luzon to detect COVID-19 cases in their respective regions.

Go specifically requested that health institutions in the Visayas and Mindanao be provided with the necessary medical equipment to test suspected COVID-19 cases, especially in remote areas with limited resources.

He highlighted that the President has assured sufficient funds are available for the protection of Filipinos' health during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The senator also expressed his intention to assist medical institutions by providing essential personal protective equipment (PPE) and test kits to selected capable centers nationwide.

Go emphasized that with the enactment of the "Bayanihan to Heal as One Act," the DOH should be able to mobilize resources and manpower swiftly.

The law mandates that emergency measures include effective education, detection, protection, and treatment to suppress the transmission and spread of COVID-19.

Furthermore, the DOH is instructed to prioritize the allocation of resources to designated COVID-19 referral hospitals, private hospitals with existing capacities, and public and private laboratories capable of testing suspected patients.

Go stressed the importance of prompt and efficient implementation of these measures due to the time-critical nature of the pandemic.