The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is repurposing the equipment in its 14 molecular laboratories across the country to strengthen its blood facilities.

PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon said the molecular laboratories, which were set up in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, served the country for almost three years with affordable reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.

“With the majority of Filipinos now vaccinated and boosted, PRC’s molecular laboratories have fulfilled their purpose in preventing the transmission of the Covid-19 virus and safeguarding public health,” Gordon said in a news release on Tuesday.

In April 2020, PRC opened its first molecular laboratory and introduced the automated RT-PCR test as a cost-effective alternative to ensure that every Filipino could undergo testing without having to worry about high fees.

Dr. Gwen Pang, PRC Secretary General, said the organization conducted about 5.7 million swab and saliva tests for Covid-19 between April 2020 and June 2023.

The equipment and vehicles from the molecular laboratories will be relocated to the PRC’s 107 blood service facilities nationwide to reinforce the blood collection and dispensing services of the organization.

Gordon reiterated the need to optimize the use of equipment from PRC’s molecular laboratories.

“The equipment will be repurposed for our blood centers and facilities to address the demand for blood. The Department of Health recorded over 60,000 dengue cases between January and June this year, which is 17 percent higher than last year. This is alarming, and given that children and infants are particularly vulnerable to this infection, the demand for blood, especially platelets, is of utmost importance,” he said.

The molecular laboratories were previously located in Metro Manila, Subic, Clark, Batangas, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Isabela, Surigao del Norte, Iloilo and Cotabato.

PRC’s molecular laboratories, emergency field hospitals, isolation facilities, convalescent plasma center, Bakuna Buses, and Bakuna Centers collectively played a crucial role in the organization’s effort to help the country mitigate the impact of Covid-19. (PNA)