The Iloilo City Government is offering free Reverse Transcription – Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing for qualified individuals through its Uswag Molecular Laboratory.
Located at MH Del Pilar St. in Molo, Uswag Molecular Laboratory is a premier facility in Western Visayas that offers RT-PCR testing. It has been accredited by the Department of Health, and recognized by the agency’s Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), garnering 100% quality assurance rating. The laboratory’s medical technologists were trained by RITM. The personnel are all professionals who value work ethics.
Currently, the City Government is taking Nasopharyngeal/Oropharyngeal Swab (NPS/OPS) specimen at Lapaz Plaza Gym. The specimens taken from individuals are immediately brought to Uswag Molecular Laboratory and run on the same day, thus getting the optimum results. It has a fast turn-around time, processing 1,000 specimen in 12 hours using four RT-PCR machines.
Who are qualified to get free RT-PCR testing?
The following individuals are qualified to be swabbed for free:
- Symptomatic individuals (with flu-like symptoms) whether city resident or not
- Close contacts
- Returning residents, ROFW, APOR
- Vulnerable groups (pregnant women, dialysis patients, for blood transfusion or hospital admission)
- Health care workers (city and non-city residents)
For those not qualified and would like to take the swab test for personal reasons, Uswag Molecular Laboratory is offering it for only P800, the cheapest in the country.
The schedule for swabbing is from Monday to Friday 7am to 2pm, and Saturday 7am to 12 noon. No operation on Sunday. RT-PCR test results will be released the next day.
“We will continue to give free RT-PCR tests to all symptomatic and close contact residents of Iloilo City. This will ensure that we will be able to isolate all positive residents of the city,” Mayor Jerry Trenas said. “Furthermore, the charges for the RT-PCR tests have been lowered to only P800.00, perhaps the lowest in the country.”
