LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Benguet Caretaker Congressman and Anti-Crime and Terrorism through Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-list Rep. Eric Yap assured the administration of the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) that the hospital’s molecular laboratory will be provided with an additional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machine to help in speeding up the release of swab test results and reduce the existing backlog.
Yap, who recently visited the hospital to turnover an additional high flow oxygen machine, was briefed by BeGH officials that the existing molecular laboratory needs an additional RT-PCR machine to increase the laboratory’s testing capacity and lessen the turnaround time in the release of swab test results for the immediate intervention for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients.
He claimed he will try to ensure the availability of the RT-PCR machine the soonest possible time to significantly improve the operation of the molecular laboratory that was recently issued a license to operate by the health department.
The lawmaker pointed out that BeGH should continue to provide quality health care services to the people coming from the different parts of the Cordillera and Northern Luzon who want to seek medical intervention from the said health facility that is why he wants that the existing facilities will have to be upgraded to make is responsive to the current health situation.
Earlier, the operation of the BeGH molecular laboratory was temporarily suspended following the positive test results for COVID of most of its medical technologists aside from the need for the existing equipment to undergo the required maintenance.
Congressman Yap committed to BeGH officials his continued efforts to provide the appropriate assistance to the hospital to enable it to sustain the delivery of quality health care services even during the prevailing difficult times where the local health care system is nearly overwhelmed and the stress being suffered by the frontliners.
Last year, Yap shelled out from his personal resources the funds that were used to construct the structure where the molecular laboratory is now situated and the initial units of medical equipment and supplies needed for the same to be issued the required license to operate.
The BeGH molecular laboratory is the third facility that was operational in the Cordillera following the designation of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) as a sub-national testing center and the accreditation of the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital molecular laboratory in Bauko, Mountain Province.
The Benguet Caretaker Congressman urged health workers and other frontliners to continue their dedication and passion to serve the needs of the people during these difficult times because their services are badly needed, saying that it is also worthy to give the frontliners a pat on the back as a gesture to recognize their sacrifices in dealing with the current situation that was aggravated by the ongoing pandemic.
BeGH is currently under the administration and management of the provincial government being a secondary government hospital where funds for its maintenance and operation are sourced out locally. By HENT