‘Pandemic a wake-up call for government on managing outbreaks’

MANILA, Philippines — If we cannot be pandemic-proof, we should at least be pandemic-capable.

This was the proposal of a key official of the House of Representatives who suggested that all government hospitals be upgraded to tertiary, or level 3, so government can efficiently manage future pandemics such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“We may not be pandemic-proof, but we can make sure that we are pandemic-capable,” Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman said yesterday. “All projections point to a rise in cases until the middle of the year, and experts say that a vaccine may be available after a year and a half.”

The Department of Health (DOH), according to him, should “start enhancing healthcare facilities to fight pandemics” and should “adapt to the changing times and prepare for a long-drawn bout” against any kind of outbreak, now and in the future. 

“While we don’t have any vaccine yet, let us strengthen our frontlines by increasing their capabilities to treat patients with the virus in the future,” the former governor of the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said. 

“We should be prepared for the worst. This disease has shocked the whole world and overwhelmed people and governments in every way possible. But if we plan for the worst, we will prevail,” Hataman insisted. 

“It is paramount, therefore, to upgrade our hospitals. Because if this drags on for the rest of the year or until next year, or if another virus hits us, then we might as well be prepared for that,” the House leader stressed. 

Another senior administration lawmaker urged the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to set guidelines for people returning to work in areas where the enhanced community quarantine will be lifted on May 15.

“Mass testing of workers is a must to ensure the safety of everyone and to prevent a resurgence of the coronavirus disease 2019 in areas that will no longer be covered by ECQ,” Rep. Bernadette Herrera of party-list Bagong Henerasyon said.

Free COVID-19 booth design

Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said it was releasing, for free, the design of their specimen collection booths (SCBs) to get local steel fabricators to build the machines.

The design, created by PCIEERD startup grant awardee Future Aviation and Maritime Enterprise Inc., will be made available to fabricators or engineering groups starting today through DOST offices and the website www.pcieerd.dost.gov.ph. – With Rainier Allan Ronda