To ensure that government services reach rural farmers, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas has introduced a mobile veterinary and molecular laboratory.
This initiative aims to bolster animal healthcare by bringing medical and diagnostic services closer to livestock and poultry farmers across the region.
The newly acquired mobile lab will be operated by the Regional Animal Diagnostic and Disease Laboratory team, enhancing the region’s capacity for animal health monitoring and disease control.
This mobile unit will also facilitate the accurate collection and handling of specimens, working in collaboration with various local government units (LGUs).
DA-Western Visayas hails the new mobile lab as a game changer, particularly for farmers in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA), making essential healthcare services more accessible.
The mobile lab will diagnose a range of animal infections, including Nipah Virus, Japanese Encephalitis, Tuberculosis, Swine Flu, and Monkeypox.
According to Zarlina Cuello, Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations, this new asset will significantly contribute to safeguarding animal health, mitigating infectious diseases, and promoting sustainable practices among stakeholders in Western Visayas.
The agency is also considering expanding the mobile lab’s services to include Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests, further enhancing its diagnostic capabilities.