DOH, JICA discuss laboratories project 

Officials from the Department of Health (DOH) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) on Thursday held the second Joint Coordination Committee meeting to strengthen the Philippines’s national health laboratory network for infectious diseases (Phelnids).

Jica senior representative Masanari Yanagiuchi and DOH officials, led by Assistant Secretary Paolo Teston, reaffirmed their commitment to advancing more initiatives to further strengthen the national health laboratory network.

In a statement, Jica said the Philippines’ experience during the COVID-19 pandemic showed the need to improve its laboratory facilities and employ qualified personnel to conduct the required tests.

To address such issues, Jica and DOH joined hands to implement Phelnids.

Since its launch in July 2022, the Phelnids improved laboratory capacities and surveillance systems, creating a laboratory network system for Filipinos by incorporating good practices from Japan.

In Thursday’s JCC meeting, Jica and DOH officials recounted the initial success.

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“Improving access to high-quality, reliable diagnostics has never been more critical. By strengthening the Philippine national health laboratory network, we are equipping the country to cope with future health challenges with resilience and efficiency,” Yanagiuchi said.

Other DOH representatives in the JCC meeting came from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Epidemiology Bureau, Health Facilities Development Bureau, and the Bureau of International Health Cooperation.