PNP to setup more quarantine centers, testing hubs

July 16, 2020

The chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said they are  preparing to establish more quarantine centers and testing hubs to further improve their healthcare support for police frontliners.

“PNP is now preparing to establish more quarantine centers and testing hubs as we improve our healthcare support mechanism for our police frontliners and personnel who are exposed to the risk of contamination while fulfilling their duties,” Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa said.

The PNP has recorded 1, 298 COVID-19 positive cops, of which 529  recovered while nine died.

He said the PNP is operating and managing seven quarantine and testing facilities as part of supportive healthcare system for police frontliners in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gamboa said these quarantine facilities and testing centers are duly accredited and approved by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).

As of July 14, the PNP Health Service said the PNP Testing Facility at the Mall of Asia Arena conducted swab tests to 10,385 persons since May 23, while the PNP General Hospital is ready to admit patients with 10 available beds as of this time.

The Quarantine facility at the Philsports Arena  in Pasig City is catering to 103 patients with remaining 29 available rooms, and 107 patients are at the PICC Quarantine Center with remaining 186 available rooms.

The National Headquarters of the PNP COVID-19 Patient Care Center, the Kiangan Billeting Center, has  25 PNP personnel with 17 rooms available.

The 46-bed capacity taekwondo quarters in Camp Crame admitted eight personnel while all rooms are available at the Transformation Oval Quarantine Facility.

Gamboa also ordered police health personnel to implement stricter measures in all PNP-operated quarantine facilities and testing centers.

He also expressed his support to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to assist local health officials in providing security for tracing of confirmed COVID-19 patients to transfer them in isolation facilities.

“We will coordinate as soon as possible with the DOH and local health units to ensure safe and orderly implementation,” Gamboa said. Ella Dionisio/DMS