San Pablo hospital adds new virus molecular test lab, ICU, more staff

San Pablo City, Laguna—Laguna Governor Ramil L. Hernandez recently led officials in launching the new Intensive Care Unit and Molecular Laboratory-COVID-19 Testing Facility at the San Pablo City District Hospital (SPCDH) here.

This facility contains nucleic acid extraction machine, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine, biosafety cabinet, laminar flow hood, micro-centrifuges, autoclaves, cold storage / ultra-low freezers, and pass boxes. There is also a template room, sample extraction room, fast bath and more.

The project is part of the P72 million supplemental budget requested by Hernandez and thoroughly studied and adopted by the Laguna Provincial Council.

It will include six medical technologists who have undergone training for laboratory technicians, and the hospital has received accreditation from the Department of Health (DOH) as a Stage 4 facility.

“There is still work to be done. with some more rules to become Stage 5,” the governor said.

SPCDH now welcomes patients who have been treated with COVID-19, and at the opening of this facility many people will be given a diagnosis for the disease, Hernandez said.

“The Hospital and Molecular Laboratory are now ready, with doctors, nurses and technicians assigned,” he said.