THE whole-genome sequencing (WGS) laboratory at the University of the Philippines (UP)-Mindanao was launched last March, according to the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao on May 30, 2022.
“We launched the expansion of the genome center not only in UP Diliman but also to include Visayas and Mindanao, and that’s in Davao last March... Ni-launch na natin ang (We have launched the) Davao genome center together with Visayas genome center,” Dr. Gerna Manatad, assistant regional director of DOH-Davao, said during the Kapehan sa Davao press conference on Monday, May 30.
The WGS laboratory in UP-Mindanao is a tripartite of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) Mindanao, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), and DOH-Davao.
Manatad said the WGS laboratory is coordinating with the Epidemiology Bureau under DOH to fully maximize the facility and cater to specimen samples from Mindanao.
In a previous press conference, head of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of DOH-Davao Dr. Rachel Pasion said DOH-Davao was only allowed to submit 65 specimen samples for Covid-19 detection but with the new WGS satellite facility, the PGC in UP-Diliman will be decongested.
At the same time, the WGS laboratory can accurately and promptly detect diseases and their sub-variants, particularly Covid-19.