Taguig inaugurates Covid-19 ‘mega-complex’ facility

‘MEGA-COMPLEX’ COVID-19 FACILITY. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (left), Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano (center), and DILG Secretary Eduardo Año (right) lead the inauguration of the Covid-19 mega-complex facility on Friday (Sept. 25, 2020). The facility will host the city’s Molecular Laboratory, the Lakeshore Mega-quarantine facility, and the Lakeshore National Testing Facility. (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)

MANILA – The city of Taguig hosted on Friday the National Task Force Meeting and inaugurated its Covid-19 mega-complex facility which will host the new city-run Molecular Laboratory, the Lakeshore Mega-quarantine facility, and the Lakeshore National Testing Facility.

The city closely coordinates with the national government and its task force to overcome the pandemic. The local government believes that to fight the health crisis, cooperation with the national government is essential.

Taguig is also delivering major infrastructure projects to sustain what has been an effective effort to keep Covid-19 cases low. The facilities are set to supplement an all-of-government approach to testing, tracing, and treating Covid-19 cases, which has kept the city’s infections among the lowest in the National Capital Region (NCR) this September.

As of Sept. 22, the city had the lowest number of active cases per 100,000 people across NCR.

The city government is now opening its very own Molecular Laboratory to further increase its testing capacity.

The Department of Health granted the Molecular Laboratory a license to operate (LTO) on Sept. 13. It had previously passed a five-step assessment, which included on-site assessment and proficiency tests for the staff.

The lab will have both a manual and automated testing machine managed by shifting teams composed of medical technicians, aids, and others.

At full capacity, this molecular lab will help reach Taguig’s target of 100,000 RT-PCR tests by the end of the year which is equivalent to 10 percent of Taguig’s total population.

Even without its own testing laboratory, Taguig managed to conduct almost 50,000 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests as of Sept. 23, representing over 5 percent of the total population. This was made possible with a strong partnership with the national government and in private testing facilities.

“This testing facility will be a long-term benefit to the city to help us better manage the Covid-19 situation. Aside from that, the lab can also test pathogens affecting both humans and animals, allowing us to avert serious health issues in the future,” said Mayor Lino Cayetano.

Within the same complex, the local government will be opening the much-awaited 500-bed Covid-19 Lakeshore Mega Quarantine Facility.

For Section 1 of the facility, 70 units will be opened today, while the other sections will be opened over the next few weeks.

The entire complex is expected to be completed in three months, right before Christmas where the city anticipates a possible spike in Covid-19 cases.

Once completed, the Mega Quarantine Facility will add to the five quarantine facilities in the city that include newly built structures and repurposed government buildings.

The structures ensure comfort for patients. They are complete with beds, partitions, air-conditioning, a bath, a toilet, and a living room. All units will also have tables to help in entertaining patients and consulting with doctors. Robonurses, created by the young students of the Taguig Robotics Team, will care for the patients.

Among the city’s touted home-grown approaches are the Systematic Mass Approach to Responsible Testing, aggressive contact tracing mechanisms tapping into barangays, and localized lockdowns.

The local government of Taguig is working hard with the National Task Force for our city to effectively transition to the new normal.

In a span of six weeks since the modified enhanced community quarantine or the Timeout Taguig, the cases of Covid-19 in the city have already been flattened. In spite of these progressive results, the local government still vows to be aggressive in the fight against Covid-19. (PR)