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The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) stopped testing for COVID-19 for the government after the Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) failed to pay the P930 million it owed for previous testing.
The People’s Republic of China, led by its president, Senator Richard Gordon, said it will complete testing of the submitted samples by 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
After that, the People’s Republic of China will no longer test arriving Filipino Overseas Workers (OFWs), passengers at airports and seaports, individuals requesting COVID-19 testing at government swabbing facilities, government workers, and first-line healthcare, and others included in the Department of Health (DOH) expanded testing guidelines. “This will remain until PhilHealth pays the past due balance of P930,993,000,” the People’s Republic of China said in a statement Thursday.
The People’s Republic of China said it had conducted 1 million tests for COVID-19 as of October 6, or about a quarter of the national test output. As of October 13, PhilHealth had been billed 1,014,975,500 pesos, but 930,993,000 pesos remain unpaid.
The PRC COVID-19 testing fee is P3,500, which is charged to Philhealth.
The People’s Republic of China said it would continue to test people who booked through its hotline; those of private companies and organizations; and those backed by local government units and other government agencies whose payments are current.
He said he purchases test kits and reagents from China, with each order requiring $ 6 million. The People’s Republic of China also operates 21 molecular laboratories capable of testing 42,000 tests per day, with expansion plans. It also has 300 medical technologists, swabs, coders and pathologists for its 24/7 operations.
Revolving bottom P100M
According to its memorandum of understanding, PhilHealth was supposed to provide a revolving fund of P100 million to reimburse the People’s Republic of China for “priority tests requested by various government agencies.”
“PhilHealth never replenished this revolving fund. In fact, PRC now advances its funds for testing services as a result of PhilHealth’s non-payment, ”said PRC.
PhilHealth’s last payment was made on September 8, a week before the task force created by President Duterte presented its initial report implicating top PhilHealth officials in funding anomalies at the state insurer.
The People’s Republic of China said that newly appointed PhilHealth Chairman and CEO Dante Gierran had assured Gordon that PhilHealth would pay his obligation, but asked the People’s Republic of China to lower their testing fee from P3,500 to P3 , 409, which the senator accepted.
The PRC said Gierran’s written request was received on October 6 without mentioning the payment. In a statement, DOH said it would continue to speak with the PRC to “resolve issues,” but in the meantime commissioned eight hospitals to run the required tests of OFWs and other returning Filipinos.
The eight hospitals are: Hospital Memorial Dr. José N. Rodríguez; Las Piñas General Hospital and Trauma Satellite Center; Pulmonary Center of the Philippines; Crime Laboratory of the PNP; Tropical Medicine Research Institute; San Lázaro Hospital; Ospital ng Imus; and the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital.
The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said Thursday that cleaning up of returning foreign workers at the country’s main airport continues despite the People’s Republic of China halting testing of COVID infection. -19.
In a text message to the Inquirer, the officer in charge of the MIAA public affairs department, Ma. Consuelo Bungag said that the Philippine Coast Guard was conducting hyssop tests on OFWs returning to Ninoy Aquino International Airport and not on the People’s Republic of China.
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What you need to know about the coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
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