Considering the speed by which the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases is spiking, Senator Win Gatchalian has urged the government to be involved and proactively seek out persons at risk of contracting the coronavirus disease.
Gatchalian said it should start from the local government units (LGUs), emphasizing that if their constituents have symptoms of fever, cough and respiratory infections, they should assume that the illnesses could be COVID-19 so that they can immediately take steps to protect others in the households and in the community.
“In the absence of World Health Organization (WHO)-validated testing kits, LGUs should be ready to access the nearest testing facility.”
In the absence of World Health Organization (WHO)-validated testing kits, the veteran legislator said LGUs should be ready to access the nearest testing facility.
To date, only the RITM is accredited by the WHO to test samples for COVID-19. The DOH said, however, that five more hospitals are already being capacitated to test samples for COVID-2019. These are the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City, Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, Baguio General Hospital in Baguio City, and the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City.
“Sa bilis ng pag-akyat ng mga kaso ng COVID-19 sa bansa, dapat mas paigtingin na ng mga lokal na pamahalaan ang mga hakbang nila upang matukoy kung sino ang mga nanganganib na mag-positibo sa sakit na ito, at mabigyan sila ng angkop na tulong medikal. Sa ganitong mga krisis, mahalaga ang pangunguna ng mga lokal na pamahalaan dahil mas alam ng mga ito ang mga pangangailan ng kanilang mga nasasakupan,” said the seasoned lawmaker.
The senator also called on the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure that LGUs strictly comply with Memorandum Circular 2020-018, which defines the tasks of governors, mayors, and “punong barangays” in response to the outbreak.
The said memorandum calls for the organization of the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs), which should ideally be one per population of 5,000. Each BHERT should be composed of a barangay executive officer, a barangay tanod, and two barangay health workers, one of which should be a nurse or a midwife.
BHERTs are also assigned to visit the homes of persons who came from a COVID-19 affected country, after which they will impose a 14-day quarantine and observation period for the returned resident. Those who displayed symptoms will be isolated until they can be transported to a DOH-designate referral center.
The DOH has declared Code Red Sublevel 1, which calls for intensified steps such as contact tracing, home quarantine for those who came in close contact with COVID-19-positive patients, improved hospital preparedness, and the activation of other laboratories outside the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM).
“The global outbreak needs all country leaders to mobilize plans, coordinate every part of government.”
Gatchalian stressed that the global outbreak needs all of the country’s leaders to mobilize plans, coordinate every part of government, not just the health department but others as well including security, transport, trade, and information, among others.
Gatchalian also believes that the country will be able to contain the spread of the dreaded disease with a coordinated and comprehensive approach that engages the entire machinery of government.