THE PLANNED whole genome sequencing laboratory in Mindanao is still awaiting funding from the Health department, according to a regional official.
To be set up at the University of the Philippines-Mindanao in Davao City, the satellite laboratory will be handled by the UP-Philippine Genome Center based in the campus.
The head of the Department of Health-Davao ’s Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit, Rachel Joy Pasion, said in a virtual presser that the establishment of such a laboratory will require “a lot of funds” for equipment, kits, and manpower.
“Whole genome sequencing is very tedious and it would entail human resource, machine, which cost millions,” she said in mixed English and Filipino. “There are machines that can process hundreds of specimens but it would entail seven digits as to the funding.”
The government earlier announced plans to set up genome sequencing labs in the Visayas in central Philippines and Mindanao in the south to expand capacity for the immediate need to detect variants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). All genome sequencing is currently done by the Philippine Genome Center in Manila.
“They (national government) are not promising anything but the target within this year, hopefully November we could establish our whole genome sequencing here in the region,” Ms. Pasion said. — Maya M. Padillo