With contributions from the oil and gas industry, Casanare adapted a molecular biology laboratory

The Health Secretariat of Casanare inaugurated today its molecular biology laboratory, equipped thanks to contributions from the oil and gas industry, as part of the joint work and the combined efforts with the Government of Casanare for the response to the COVID-19 emergency.

• The laboratory will be a research center that will allow for COVID testing and other pathologies caused by vectors.
• The adaptation of this infrastructure required an investment of over $84 million.
• In addition, medical supplies are being delivered to the HORO for the care of critical patients, for $150 million.

The laboratory will be a research center that will allow the department to strengthen its decision-making capacity to face diseases caused by vectors, as it will not only allow for COVID testing but also analyze other pathologies such as tuberculosis, dengue, chagas, and malaria; as well as entomology (classification of vectors); with a capacity of 50 tests daily depending on the level of specificity of study for each one.

The contribution from companies in the industry, through the Colombian Association of Oil and Gas (ACP), was allocated to the adaptation of the necessary infrastructure for the operation of the laboratory, with an investment of $84.129.563 in materials and other supplies delivered to the Government of Casanare.

“We are pleased that the Department can now count on this new health infrastructure, the oil and gas industry continues to be an ally of Casanare in the prevention and care of the emergency, which is why we continue to work in coordination with local authorities and combining efforts to strengthen the institutional capacity to respond to the pandemic,” said Silvana Habib, Vice President of Operations and Sustainability of the ACP.

During the inauguration of the laboratory, the Vice President of the ACP also invited the people of Casanare to remain vigilant, to maintain self-care habits, and to work together to advance in the social and economic recovery of the region.

Additionally, she added that, with contributions from the companies Frontera, Perenco, GeoPark, and Parex, medical supplies and equipment worth $150 million are also being delivered to the Regional Hospital of Orinoquia to strengthen care for critical COVID patients. And that for the following week, a new delivery of personal protective equipment and biosecurity items is planned for the Government: 2,800 masks, 400 liters of alcohol, and 30 face shields.

With these contributions, the companies affiliated with the ACP operating in Casanare have provided more than $1.076 million in aid delivered in the Department during the pandemic, including food packages and nutritional kits, personal protective equipment for communities, and for medical and hospital staff, as well as hospital supplies and equipment.