Cong. Yap donates Medical equipments to BeGH

May 24, 2020 Provincial

An automated RNA extraction machine, which has long been coveted by the region to speed up testing for COVID-19, has finally been provided for by ACT-CIS party list representative Eric Go Yap.

Yap, who is also the caretaker for Benguet province, donated the ARE machine to Baguio General Hospital last Friday.

It is the first of its kind in Northern Luzon, said Yap.

He first presented the ARE machine to Benguet Gov. Melchor Diclas and the staff of the Benguet General Hospital last Thursday.

“From 100 tests a day dahil manual ang ginagamit, magiging 1,000 ang pwedeng itest once na may automated machine na. It is a must have,” Yap said.

“Inspired by my favorite quote; The only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing, alam natin na hindi pwedeng wala tayong gawin habang patuloy na nagdurusa ang mga kababayan natin sa COVID-19 pandemic.

For COVID to prevail, it only takes a good man to do nothing,” Yap said.

“For COVID to prevail, it only takes a good man to do nothing. Malaking tulong man ang mga naipamahagi nating relief goods, PPEs, gamot, vitamins at iba pa, naniniwala akong hindi natin matutumbok ang problema kung kulang ang ating kakayahan pagdating sa aggressive na mass testing.

Sa munti nating paraan, tayo po ay magbibigay ng PCR Machine at Automated Extraction Machine sa Benguet General Hospital upang makatulong na mas marami ang ating mai-test,” he said.

The P21-million ARE machine will be set up at the BGH, however, because the Baguio hospital is the acknowledged COVID testing center in Northern Luzon.

There are three specialized medical technologists who are capable of handling the ARE machine.

It will take them a week, however, to familiarize them with the machine.

BeGH will execute a Memorandum of Agreement with Baguio General Hospital, which is the only COVID testing center in the region.

Under the agreement, Baguio General Hospital will conduct testing using the machines but will allocate a certain number of tests per day for Benguet residents until such time that Benguet General Hospital is ready with their own testing site.

“This will be a big boost in addressing the backlog of PCR-based tests in Baguio. We will not flatten the curve without mass testing and I hope these machines will bring us one step closer to a COVID-free community,” Yap said.

“Test, test, test. Yan ang sagot at hindi basta quarantine lang ng quarantine. Dagdagan natin ang kakayahan nating makapagtest at pabilisin natin ang paglabas ng resulta.

Kaya nung nagtanong tayo kung may paraan para mas madami ang test na magawa, makakatulong daw ang pagkakaroon ng Automated Extractor.

It’s a no-brainer, alam ko sa sarili ko na kailangan bumili din tayo nito upang mas marami tayong test na magawa,” he added.