PH Army Covid-19 molecular lab now operational

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MANILA – In line with its ongoing efforts to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Philippine Army (PA) on Thursday announced that its molecular laboratory is now operational after receiving accreditation from the Department of Health (DOH).

The facility was established to provide quality health care services related to emerging infectious diseases in the Army as well as leveling up the organization’s capabilities against the Covid-19.

“Army personnel and dependents, civilian human resource, and other authorized civilians can avail the laboratory’s services by sending their swab samples collected and delivered by the requesting individual or institution,” PA spokesperson, Col. Ramon Zagala said in a press statement.

The PA Molecular Laboratory is also capable of conducting the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction” (RT-PCR) Covid-19 testing process and can accommodate about 90 samples a day.

Army commander, Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, meanwhile, thanked the DOH and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine as well as the Army offices and units that made this new healthcare capability possible.

“The PA rises to the challenges to be resilient even in the face of this pandemic. And, today’s launching of the PA Molecular Laboratory illustrates this resolve to battle the coronavirus disease and build the Army’s health care service,” he added.