MindanaoToday.com | Bangsamoro legislators file bill for new regional diagnostic lab
MARAWI CITY – Bangsamoro legislators have introduced a measure to enhance healthcare accessibility by establishing a regional diagnostic and clinical laboratory.
The bill’s explanatory note underscores the shortcomings in specialized medical testing within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
Presently, many specialized tests prescribed by attending physicians are unavailable locally, necessitating the transportation of patients’ specimens to distant facilities such as the Southern Philippine Medical Center in Davao City or, in some cases, the Philippine General Hospital in Manila. This situation not only delays diagnosis but also burdens patients.
Member of Parliament Engr. Baintan Ampatuan reiterated the importance of setting up a clinical laboratory in the region.
The Bangsamoro Diagnostic and Clinical Laboratory Act of 2024, established through Parliament Bill No. 290, enables attending physicians to diagnose patients’ conditions promptly, thereby reducing their burden.
The proposed laboratory will be equipped with complete special tests and staffed by highly competitive and well-trained personnel. It will serve as the referral laboratory for the tests ordered by attending physicians, which are unavailable in their facilities.
Additionally, the laboratory will function as the official facility for the annual diagnostic examinations of all employees of the ministries and offices of the Bangsamoro government.
MPs Engr. Don Mustapha Loong, Rasul Ismael, and Atty. Rasol Mitmug, Jr. introduced the bill with MPs Atty. Laisa Alamia, Amilbahar Mawallil, Atty. Suharto Ambolodto, Tawakal Midtimbang, Jaafar Apollo Mikhail Matalam, Michael Midtimbang, Atty. Sittie Fahanie Uy-Oyod, Khalid Maamor Hadji Abdullah, Bassir Utto, and Ali Sangki co-authoring. (BTA Parliament/PIA Lanao del Sur)
###