BAGUIO CITY April 23 – In support of mass COVID-19 testing, SM donated local PCR test kits for 4,000 tests to Baguio City.
Through SM Foundation, and in coordination with DOH, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and the test kit producer Manila Healthtek, Baguio General Hospital received the test kits as one of the first recipients of local GenAmplify PCR test kits developed by UP-NIH scientists and is among the hospitals SM is donating P 30M worth of test kits, equivalent to 20,000 units, to.
SM Foundation has also provided Baguio General Hospital with supplemental testing accessories, including hyperfilter tips, system racks and cryovials. Previously, the foundation has also sent BGH 1 ICU-grade ventilator and two shipments of PPEs, including full suits, gloves, masks and alcohol.
SM foundation was one of the donors of test kits to the BGHMC that allowed the tertiary health facility to be able to perform its mandate as one of the identified accredited independent testing center north of Manila.
Earlier, the health department provided the BGHMC with some 5,000 test kits that will be used in the conduct of the test of the swab samples of probable patients coming from different parts of Northern Luzon to help monitor the presence of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the different areas.
BGHMC was able to perform nearly 5,000 tests as an independent testing center over the past several weeks since the same was given the accreditation to be one of the sub-national testing centers in the country.
By Dexter A. See
Banner photo: Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center front liners receive the GenAmplify PCR test kits from SM Foundation, Inc. Photo release by SM.
