Nocppo inks partnership to boost COVID-19 contact tracing effort

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – A test-run began on Monday to determine the effectiveness of the contact tracing initiative of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) in partnership with Let’s Talk Inc in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Colonel Romy Palgue, Nocppo director, and Ms. Franzel Lee, chief executive officer of Let’s Talk, signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the provincial headquarters in Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. in Barangay Estefania here.

Police Major Edison Garcia, Nocppo’s public information officer, said Let’s Talk Inc., an online tutorial service that covers the cities of Silay, Talisay, Bago and Murcia town, introduced a system to help authorities in the contact tracing efforts.

It aims to test the system’s applicability and sustainability in addressing the management of data on COVID-19 patients and their closed contacts, Garcia added.

Nocppo and Let’s Talk Inc. believe that contact tracing procedure is one of the finest moves in the war against the threat of the virus.

The provincial police headquarters is looking forward to generating quality information and data about the situation of COVID-19 cases needed for contact tracing.

Garcia said that if the system works after the two-week test-run, they will lobby it to the higher headquarters and the local government units (LGUs) for approval.

Meanwhile, Palgue thanked the management of Let’s Talk for such project offered to Nocppo.

Palgue said it will be a big help to all contact tracers for them to speed up and determine primarily who was with the person who tested positive for COVID-19.