PRC raises P19M to test the poor

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has raised nearly P19 million in donations for the COVID-19 testing of poor individuals who have high potential for exposure to the disease.

“We have received almost P19 million donations to help the poor who are exposed to COVID and are not covered by PhilHealth,” PRC chairman, Senator Richard Gordon, announced recently.

He specified that PRC will test indigents, pregnant women and the elderly who are highly exposed to COVID-19 but are incapable of getting themselves tested due to financial restraints for free.

Gordon said the testing costs should have been covered by PhilHealth. It is, however, unclear in its guidelines if they can also avail its benefit package for COVID-19 testing.

“Definitely the testing of the health workers will be shouldered by PhilHealth,” he stated, citing the amendment he proposed to Bayanihan Act — the implementation of mandatory COVID-19 testing of public and private health workers every 15 days.

PRC will test indigents, pregnant women and the elderly for free who are highly exposed to COVID-19 but are incapable of getting themselves tested due to financial restraints.

“If the health workers are no longer present, no one will be able to help us fight off the disease. We need to protect them,” the senator said.

Regular price

Those who can afford can pay P4,000, the regular price for the collection of swab samples and the testing at PRC.

The price is lower for PRC’s partnered local government units and organizations with which it has an existing agreement.

They are only charged P3,500 as the PRC will only have to test the swab samples which they have already collected within their jurisdictions.

“We need to collect the fees so our operations will be continuous and we will be able to purchase more testing kits from China,” Gordon said.

The lawmaker shared that the PRC had faced enormous challenges when it was only beginning to acquire the machines and equipment it needed to build a molecular testing laboratory.

“It is a ‘no-huddle offense.’ We chose to disregard the fact that it is difficult because we really have to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.

Gordon averred that public health experts, scientists and epidemiologists should lead in the plan preparation.

The military, on the other hand, who are meant for war, must lead the implementation, he said.