US bares lab training for coronavirus tests in PH military hospital

The US Department of Defense’s Philippines-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS) Virology Research Unit (PAVRU) trained four medical lab technologists at the V. Luna Medical Center, the Philippine military’s biggest medical facility, from June 1 to 12. US EMBASSY MANILA

MANILA, Philippines—The United States government has recently given training on coronavirus testing in the Philippines, the US Embassy in Manila said.

The US Department of Defense’s Philippines-Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS) Virology Research Unit (PAVRU) trained four medical lab technologists at the V. Luna Medical Center, the Philippine military’s biggest medical facility, from June 1 to 12, the embassy said in a statement on Wednesday (June 17).

The technologists were trained on biosafety, biosecurity, respiratory sample processing and storage and coronavirus testing techniques.

PAVRU has worked with the AFP in the past since the 2009 H1N1 bird flu pandemic, the embassy said.

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, PAVRU gave support to AFP personnel at the V. Luna Medical Center in the form of supplies that included reagents and lab chemicals and also access to equipment and guidance in molecular testing.

PAVRU also offered technical guidance in the design and renovation of the V. Luna Medical Center’s testing laboratory.

V. Luna Medical Center has completed 3,000 COVID-19 tests with the help of PAVRU.

Edited by TSB