Davao City gov’t offers free RT-PCR COVID-19 tests for symptomatic residents

The Davao City government will pay for the COVID-19 tests of Davao City residents who have symptoms, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte said Tuesday. 

Mayor Sara, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, announced that residents who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as cough, cold, fever, sore throat, and diarrhea may have themselves tested via the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) swab test at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), the Tomas Claudio Health Center and Davao One World Diagnostic Center.

“This is a step towards strengthening the city’s case-finding efforts to locate more positive COVID-19 cases and to contain the COVID-19 transmission. We should know where the infection is so we also know how to prevent the spread of the infection,” she said in an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio.

In addition, Mayor Sara said Davao City residents exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms have the option to request the City Health Office medical personnel to conduct swab testing at their homes.

“We have received reports that some people are hesitant to go to SPMC, the health center, for whatever reason…we do not know. So we will be the one to adjust for these situations,” she said.

As this developed, Mayor Sara said getting tested for COVID-19 should not be feared since it is the first step towards healing.

“People must trust the medical doctors like epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists as they are experts in this field. If we experience symptoms, let us seek medical advice,” the mayor said.

“Doctors must be the one telling us what to do: what medications to take, where to go, then we can just add our self-prescriptions or own beliefs like taking herbal medicines. Just ask permission from the doctors first),” she added.

Those who want to get tested may coordinate with the Davao City Operations Center: for calls, contact (0917) 508 6548 and (0919) 071 1111, and for texts, send messages to (0906) 367 4671 and (0939) 340 5675. 

They may also contact all City Government of Davao online platforms such as the Davao City Reports and the Davao City Disaster Radio Facebook pages.

The offer for free RT-PCR test for symptomatic Davao residents followed a day after the city government started offering free and voluntary RT-PCR testing for airplane passengers entering Davao City. —KG, GMA News