MAYOR Honey Lacuna and Vice Mayor Yul Servo inaugurated a new and modern Public Health Laboratory in Sta. Cruz, Manila as a concrete testament of her administration’s prioritization of the health of all Manila residents.
In her message, Lacuna thanked the Department of Health for having swiftly given the new facility a License to Operate.
“Tapat at totoo nating masasabi na hindi tayo gumastos lang para may maipagmalaki, ito po ay magagamit natin bilang isang tertiary clinical laboratory, mayroon ring drug testing laboratory at isang laboratory for drinking water bacteriological analysis at marami pang iba,” the lady mayor said.
She added: “Ang lahat po nito ay bahagi ng ating patuloy na pagsisinop, pagpupursige at pagbibigay ng dekalidad na serbisyo diretso sa tao.”
According to Lacuna, the public health laboratory forms part of Manila’s colorful history, being the first of its kind in the entire country. Originally built in the same place on Quiricada, the said laboratory was given by the Americans in 1945 and was recontructed on Octobert 29, 1.949during the time of then Mayor Arsenio Lacson.
The mayor said the newly-inaugurated laboratory which will be supervised by Manila Health Department chief Dr. Arnold Pangan and Dr. Malou Pineda-Santos is dedicated for the promotion of health among Manilans and will serve as an insttument to know the causes of certain illnesses afflicting the city residents.
Among others, the said laboratory provides drive-thru services and is also aimed at helping studies on the causes of various kinds of illnesses and serve as a training center for health workers.
It also provides drug testing and other kinds of tests that are needed to swiftly respond in terms of providing the right kinds of medication and approach to sick residents, depending on the results of the lab tests and procedures done.
According to Lacuna, the plans to build such a modern public health laboratory was stalled by the pandemic.
She expressed gratitude to the DOH for its support, saying the new facility already has a license to operate as a tertiary clinical lab, a drug testing lab and a lab for drinking water analysis, in addition to x-ray.
In the days to come, Lacuna said that the facility will be equipped with more specialized lab tests to support the implementation of the universal health care agenda.
“Umasa po kayo na ang pamahalaang-lungsod ay hindi titigil para mas pagandahin at padamihin ang health services na dapat lamang para sa bawat isang Manilenyo,” she said.
