THE CITY government continued to receive foreign support to further strengthen its response to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease.
The latest support came from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a development assistance agency of the United States federal government.
During his COVID-19 Alert program on Davao City Disaster Radio 87.5 FM, COVID-19 focal person Dr. Ashley Lopez said the USAID offered two mobile swabbing teams, including logistics and testing kits.
“They provided two swabbing teams composed of six personnel, including the logistics and they will donate testing kits and the vehicles they are using. They will provide two vehicles for the city’s surveillance swabbing,” Lopez said.
The two mobile swabbing teams would cater to big companies that cannot access the Sta. Ana swabbing center, which caters mainly to close contacts of index COVID cases and symptomatic individuals.
“These will be a big help and big boost to our response team under our heightened surveillance,” Lopez said.
Meanwhile, Davao City Police Office director, Col. Kirby John Kraft, has assigned 21 police personnel, who were registered nurses, as swabbers.
“Ongoing ang [ilahang] training ‘ron didto sa Crocodile Park; naga-onsite training sila. And by ugma (May 27) ug sa 28, mosabak na na sila og practicum didto (Their training is ongoing at the Crocodile Park. They are trained onsite. By tomorrow and on May 28, they will be conducting their practicum there). By next week, there will be an alternate swabbing team with the Bureau of Fire and Protection,” Lopez said.
The teams from the PNP will quarantine for 14 days once they are replaced by the BFP team which will then go on duty for 14 days. Meantime, Lopez said the use of the Rizal Park as an additional swabbing center is still on hold since the city is still hiring and training additional personnel.
