The University of the Philippines Los Baños’ (UPLB) molecular diagnostic laboratory for COVID-19 is now on its way to the final stages of obtaining approval from the World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Health (DoH), and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
A team from WHO, DoH, and RITM visited last May 15 the UPLB laboratory for assessment and validation processes.
It is now preparing the laboratory medical team for the proficiency test that will be the last hurdle before accreditation and to get the COVID-19 laboratory operational.
The testing center will be able to conduct reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-based (RT-PCR) testing, which is considered the most reliable in detecting the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARs-COV2) in a person.
It will be equipped with DoH-recommended equipment including RT-PCR machines, biosafety cabinets Class 2A, micropipettes, laminar flow hoods, and autoclave machines. Closed circuit televisions (CCTV) and monitors will also be installed.
“The design and layout of the testing center took into consideration the requirements for biosafety, biosecurity, risk identification, and mitigation strategies,” UPLB earlier said.
“Each of the rooms, from the receiving area, extraction, preparation, and down to the PCR room, were planned according to the testing process,” it added.
The UPLB based its safety standards in converting the laboratory to the assessment tools used by the WHO, DoH, and RITM. (Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz)
