The Collaborating Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CCDPC) Regional Laboratory

Dedicated for the people of Central and North Luzon the Collaborating Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CCDPC) was built through the vision of Secretary Alberto G. Romualdez, Jr., the patronage of Secretary Manuel M. Dayrit, and the leadership of Director Ethelyn P. Nieto.

It was inaugurated on the 3rd day of December 2001 as witnessed by partners in the health sector.

The Regional Laboratory, together with the Resource Center and Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) are the three arms of the CCDPC which are collectively known as the 3Rs.  The CCDPC is a center that provides immediate response to disease outbreaks in Central Luzon areas.

It is situated at CHD 3 compound, Diosdado Macapagal Regional Government Center, Maimpis, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

The first chief executive officer of the center was Dr. Rio L. Magpantay, while Dr. Seth Calalang was the manager of the laboratory department and at the same time the head of the Resource Center.  The RESU is headed by Dr. Jesse Fantone up to present.

The current overall head and pathologist of the laboratory is Dr. Ma. Lourdes J. Pasion.  The Drug Testing Section is headed by Dr. Ma. Melinda M. Olesco.

Laboratory services includes:

I.                    Laboratory Examination Services:

a.       Drug Testing

-          Screening test for Tetrahydrocannabinol and Methamphetamine

-          We are also accepting remote collection of specimen

b.      Water Bacteriological Analysis

-          Multiple Tube Fermentation Method

-          Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC)

-          Rapid detection for the presence/absence of E. Coli

II.                  DOH Program-based Services:

a.       Regional Malaria Microscopy Laboratory

-          Conducts training on Basic Malaria Microscopy and Rapid Diagnostic Test

-          Giemsa Stained Light Microscopy Diagnosis

-          Implements Quality Assurance in Malaria Microscopy which includes validation/cross-checking of slides, onsite supervisory visit, and external quality assessment scheme

b.      Regional Tuberculosis Laboratory

-          Conducts basic course on direct sputum smear microscopy and training on quality assurance TB medical technologists controllers

-          Direct sputum smear microscopy examination

-          Implements Quality Assurance in TB

Future services to be offered:

I.                    Physico-chemical analysis of water

-          Color

-          Turbidity

-          Odor

-          Taste

-     Alkalinity (as CaCO₃)