Medical technologists are the 'unsung heroes' amid the COVID-19 pandemic

For being in the frontlines in the battle against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), doctors and nurses are rightfully getting the recognition they deserve. But what about our medical technologists, who are also in the frontlines of the fight? 

Medical technologists take care of the tedious work inside laboratories. Examining swab tests, they are directly exposed to COVID-19. But because their work is inside labs, they are hardly seen.

In an episode of "Frontliners," medical technologist Paul Masa of Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC), the COVID-19 testing center in Region 6, detailed and showed how they work inside the labs.

Masa is aware that a lot of people are not really familiar with what medical technologists really do.

"'Pag sinabing med tech, kadalasan ng iniisip ng mga tao na 'pag med tech taga-kuha ng dugo, taga-examine ng ihi, ng dumi," Masa said.

"We also do complex and special procedures kagaya nitong real-time PCR o Polymerase Chain Reaction na testing," he added.

Medical technologists are not only exposed to patients when they do swab tests and blood tests, they also literally face the virus itself when they examine the specimens.

"Kami yung kumukuha ng swab samples sa mga probable, suspected and COVID-19 positive patients so doon pa lang, exposed na talaga ang med techs sa mismong pasyente," Masa explained.

"Ikalawa, siyempre kami rin yung kumukuha ng blood samples sa mga pasyente na positive, plus kami na rito na nasa Subnational, talagang literal na humaharap kami sa viral specimens o sa virus mismo," he added. "Literal na hinaharap namin yung virus mismo, 'yung sample mismo na alam namin na probable positive sa COVID-19," Masa explained.

This is why medical technologists are extra cautious and geared in complete personal protective equipment (PPE) while they are on the job.

"'Yung iba sa 'min na in-charge for inactivation dun sa area kung saan hahawak talaga sila ng samples, so kailangan naka-full hazmat suit sila," Masa said.

The report said WMVC receives 350 swab samples daily.

"Ang ganito karaming specimen aabot sa dalawang hanggang tatlong araw bago malaman ang resulta," Masa said.

The 24-year-old medical technologist said they would usually work eight hours per day but, given the emergency, they have been working overtime, sometimes even extending up to 12 hours.

Masa has been working as a medical technologist for three years and is used to the danger that comes with his job even before COVID-19, saying "natuto na rin kami na i-treat lahat ng specimens as highly infectious."

But he said when they first started examining COVID-19 specimens they couldn't help but have fears at first.

"Siyempre natakot pero as the weeks passed by, parang usual na lang na nawalan na rin ng takot na baka mahawaan kami," he said.

Masa said knowing how infectious COVID-19 is, has already become a "new normal" for them.

"Kasi nga parang ito na 'yung pang-araw-araw namin eh since na sinumpaan namin 'tong trabaho," he said.

Masa said one of the struggles they have been facing in WMVC is the lack of consumables or the tools they use for testing, causing delays and backlogs in examining COVID-19 specimens.

"Minsan gusto namin tapusin yung trabaho namin, gusto namin ubusin ang mga dumaitng na swab samples, pero minsan natitigil kami dahil sa kakulangan din ng kagamitan o consumables ng supply na magagamit sana namin para maubos sa isang araw. Hindi maiiwasan talaga na magkaroon ng backlogs." 

Despite this trouble, they were still able to deliver results and do their jobs.

According to the report, WVMC has already tested 6,270, of that number 90 came out positive for COVID-19.

Masa's source of inspiration and strength

Although Masa is away from his family who is currently residing in Manila, he said he gets his strength and inspiration to work from them.

"Araw-araw tinatawagan ko lang sila or chinachat kung kamusta ganon yun lang yung pinaghuuhugutan namin ng lakas," he said.

Masa chose to live in an apartment near the hospital for the sake of the safety of his family, especially his parents who are senior citizens.

"Hindi mawawala ang takot na matanda na sila, senior citizens at sila pa 'yung prone sa COVID-19 disease."

Despite the sacrifices and feelings of stress and exhaustion from overtimes, Masa said medical technologists like him do their best to remain positive.

"Malaki talaga siyang sakripisyo plus na rin yung overtimes namin at tsaka 'yung pagid talagang hindi mawawala 'yung pagod sa trabaho na maraming specimens yung dumadating pero sila nakakayanan naman kasi dito ano lang kami eh enjoy-enjoy lang kami dito eh."

After all of this is over, Masa said he hopes to be reunited with his family.

"Sana magkasama rin tayo kahit na may pandemic sana matapos na ito para magkita-kita na tayo ulit diyan sa Maynila o di kaya umuwi kayo dito sa Iloilo. Miss ko na maging kumpleto tayo miss ko na ang yakap mo nay."

"Everyday nagdarasal talaga kami na sana matapos na to para bumalik na rin tayo sa usual o sa normal na ginagawa natin araw-araw," he added.

Just like the doctors and nurses, medical technologists are prone to getting infected with COVID-19 because of their exposure.

The report said at the Research Institute for Tropical Medcine (RITM), the first COVID-19 laboratory testing in the Philippines was not spared from COVID-19.

As of April 27, 45 of their staff tested positive, 38 have already healed from the disease.