Puerto Princesa City’s GeneXpert laboratory at the Ospital ng Palawan (ONP) will be diverting all testing to the city molecular diagnostic laboratory while their machine is being repaired.
Information obtained by Palawan News from a source stated that services such as COVID-19 testing, Tuberculosis sputum culture testing, and direct sputum smear microscopy (DSSM) will be unavailable beginning Monday, November 16.
City health officer Dr. Ric Panganiban added in a phone interview on Tuesday that the molecular laboratory in Barangay Sta. Monica will be accepting services offered by the ONP, especially COVID-19 testing.
“Nakatanggap nga ng message ang chief med tech namin na pansamantala munang sa molecular laboratory ang testing kasi nagkaproblema sila sa ONP. Dahil may memorandum of agreement ang city government at ang ONP na kapag may problema sa testing doon,” he said.
“For today lang naman ito, habang inaayos pa,” he added.
Additional information from the source stated that the laboratory room began experiencing warning displays after a power interruption on Monday. On the same day, the Palawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO) reported a total blackout in some areas in Puerto Princesa City and Southern Palawan towns at around 9 a.m. Power was then restored at around 12 noon.
