Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (PNA photo by Joey Razon) MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) is establishing seven subnational laboratories (SNLs) for the detection of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) in the Philippines. In a news release Thursday, the DOH said the SNLs, located in various regions of the country, lay the foundation of a public health laboratory network for the timely confirmation of infectious diseases and a more efficient response to outbreaks. The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided over PHP36 million worth of laboratory equipment and supplies. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III received the donations in a turnover ceremony Thursday at the DOH. The laboratories will serve as confirmatory testing hubs for common vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, rotavirus disease, and Japanese encephalitis. The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) has assessed and identified the following regional health facilities as SNLs: I