THE Department of Health (DOH) has issued Monday, June 29, 2020, a three-month license to operate (LTO) to the Amai Pakpak Medical Center’s (APMC) coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) laboratory in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.
Dr. Shalimar Rakiin, APMC chief, said Thursday that the license to operate will be effective July 29 until September 29 only.
Rakiin said they were issued a license to operate after the hospital has undergone a series of accreditation processes.
The APMC chief said these included the following: application for accreditation; utilization self-assessment tool assessed by the DOH-Northern Mindanao staff; identification of laboratory area within the hospital using the required floor plan; procurement of the needed equipment; and orientation and training of the staffs.
“The DOH-10 (Northern Mindanao) sent us the GenExpert Machine and cartridge, after their endorsement that we have met all the requirements in the assessment tool. Then, finally, upon passing all the different stages, they sent us the LTO,” Rakiin added.
The laboratory is now operational and according to Rakiin that they have received 40 swabs samples as of Thursday, July 2, from the Sagonsongan community quarantine facility.
She said that the accreditation of the testing facility will greatly help in the province’s quick response for Covid-19, although the license is only effective for three months.
Meanwhile, she said that the provincial hospital is set to put up a P15 million biomolecular laboratory, which will be supported by the Office of the Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“We are just waiting for the turnover of the assistance from the Office of the Chief Minister to help in the operations of our biomolecular lab,” Rakiin said. (SunStar Zamboanga)