PRC to provide free COVID-19 testing for Fabella Hospital staff

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will provide free COVID-19 testing for the healthcare staff of Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila following reports that seven resident doctors have tested positive for the virus.

Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the PRC, confirmed the hospital's medical center chief requested assistance to swab their 180 healthcare staff.

Gordon stated the testing will be conducted for humanitarian purposes without charge to the hospital personnel.

The senator also noted that free testing is crucial to prevent a potential halt in hospital operations, which could occur if all staff are forced into a 14-day quarantine.

Fabella Hospital had previously announced a temporary closure of some units for disinfection from October 24 to 27, though the reason was not explicitly linked to the reported infections.

This initiative comes at a time when the PRC had temporarily suspended PhilHealth-funded tests due to a significant unsettled debt from the state health insurer, impacting testing for frontline workers.