Pinay doctor sets up mobile care group for free COVID-19 tests in New York

A Filipina doctor has set up a mobile care group offering free COVID-19 tests for underserved communities in New York City, United States.

According to Nico Waje’s “24 Oras” report on Friday, Filipina doctor Jona Jane Tajonera created the US Mobile Care Group that travels along New York City to provide free RT-PCR and rapid antigen testing among people who need them.

Tajonera said she got the inspiration to create the mobile care group after her sister succumbed to COVID-19 at the start of the pandemic.

The Filipina doctor shared that her sister failed to immediately get tested and it was too late when she knew that she acquired the viral disease.

“I felt so hopeless kasi wala akong nagawa roon sa kanya, but I blame myself for a while,” Tajonera said.

According to Tajonera, the mobile care group started with a few tents along the streets of New York.

“We target most of the underserved where there’s a lot of people who do not have insurance, they really need help,” she said.

The mobile care group was supported by the US government as they also provided the expenses for the RT-PCR tests.

Meanwhile, Tajonera finances the rapid antigen tests, van rental fees, staff wages, and other expenses, which costs her at least $30,000 or P1.5 million pesos a week.

“It is all worth it, we are catering so many people. It is all worth it, hopefully we are making a difference, that is my goal,” she said.

Apart from the free COVID-19 tests, they also offered mental health support services for the people.

At present, Mobile Care Group has 22 mobile testing centers that accommodate more than 5,000 COVID-19 tests every day.

“Some sort of therapy for me, it actually makes me cope up in the situation I am in, providing services to them, and me being able to help them. Missing my sister and everything, blaming myself again, it kind of like slowly I forgot about it,” Tajonera added.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA News