Iloilo City Molecular Laboratory inaugurated

The Iloilo City Uswag Molecular Laboratory inauguration and blessing was held in Brgy. San Pedro in Molo District on October 14.

Mayor Jerry Treñas, Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, city councilors, City Health Officer-in-charge Dr. Anabelle Tang, Uswag Molecular Lab head Annabelle Rosario Blancaflor, and Department of Health (DOH) officials, led the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“This new facility will be of great help in leveling up the local healthcare system of Iloilo,” Treñas stressed.

The molecular laboratory is a level 2 biosafety facility with molecular testing machines and equipment.

This facility has been accredited by DOH, and recognized by the agency’s Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), garnering 100% quality assurance rating.

“With the new lab, and its floor area, it is one of the largest laboratories in the whole Philippines,” Blancaflor said.

It initially focuses on Covid-19 testing, but the same equipment can also be used to test for other diseases and ailments.

The molab team assures to provide quality healthcare to the Ilonggos and has recently completed monkeypox training but is awaiting DOH testing approval to execute its tests.

The temporary molab will be turned into the Uswag Iloilo City Clinical Laboratory and Diagnostics Center.

Ultrasound, Electrocardiogram (ECG), and x-ray machines will be housed in the diagnostic center, which is also equipped to handle routine blood tests like Complete Blood Count (CBC) and blood chemistry including Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), cholesterol, uric acid, Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase (SGPT), and screening for diseases such as Tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

The clinical lab construction is set to commence in the first quarter of 2023.

This is a part of the city’s initiatives to function in conjunction with the centerpiece in providing adequate healthcare services to the Ilonggo community. (Andrea Pearl Fernandez/ Iloilo City PIO)