The Department of Health (DOH) has issued a license to operate for the City of Manila’s own COVID-19 testing laboratory located at the Sta. Ana Hospital.
Dr. Grace Padilla, director of the Sta. Ana Hospital personally went to the DOH office in Sta. Cruz, Manila to obtain the license to operate for the testing laboratory.
Dr. Padilla presented the license to Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso as the latter was distributing about 10,000 handmade washable face masks for 30 barangays in the capital city.
Domagoso earlier said that once the COVID-19 testing laboratory is allowed to operate, it can handle about 200 swab tests per day.
The Mayor said this is in line with the Manila City government’s mass testing operations to fight the COVID-19 outbreak in the nation’s capital.
“We are ready to go, may awa ang Diyos. In the coming days, our small efforts to strengthen our position against COVID-19 will be stronger than ever,” Domagoso said.
Dr. Padilla said that Sta. Ana Hospital, where the Manila Infectious Disease Control Center (MIDCC), was able to comply with the DOH’s requirements through the help and guidance of the agency as well as the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
“Tuwang-tuwa ako sa support ni Mayor at Vice mayor. Mahirap talaga makakuha ng license to operate for COVID-19 testing laboratories, very technical and very specific ang RITM,” Dr. Padilla said.
“With the help and guidance of DOH and RITM, we were able to comply with all of their requirements. I’m very happy for the City of Manila. I’m very happy for the Manilans. This is for them,” the hospital director said.