MOLECULAR LABORATORY IN BUTUAN MEDICAL CENTER CAN’T ACCOMMODATE ALL SWAB TESTS FROM CARAGA

BUTUAN CITY – Despite being operational, the molecular diagnostics laboratory for patients infected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Butuan Medical Center is unable to handle all swab tests in the Caraga region.

According to the Regional Director in the Department of Health (DOH) Caraga Dr. Jose Llacuna, the testing lab is short-handed of swabbers and lacks equipment. Thus, the said agency is coordinating with the laboratories in Davao City to accommodate some test samples from Caraga.

“Tinuod naa nay Gene-Xpert but It cannot serve so many, dili gyud daghan kayo diritso. So ang mahitabo ini naay gamay nga back-log. Pero ang solusyon nato kay gihimo naman ni sa una nato, magpadala ta sa Davao. Ang Cagayan nibalibad na kay napuno’ na, wala na silay mga sample. So this is the limitation nu,” said Dr. Llacuna Jr.

(There’s indeed Gene-Xpert machine, but it cannot serve so many, at least not immediately. That’s why there are some test backlogs, but our solution is to deliver them to Davao, which we have done before. Cagayan has refused because they are already full, and they don’t have available samples anymore.)

With this, there will be delays in the return of swab test results. Symptomatic individuals or those patients showing symptoms are prioritized for the swab testing.

Dr. Llacuna further said that he believes when the molecular laboratories in other provinces such as Caraga Regional Hospital and Adella Sierra Ty Memorial Hospital are fully operational, directly conducting a swab test without the rapid test will be possible.