A DAY after the World Health Organization said the infection among Philippine healthcare workers is “very worrisome,” the Department of Health on Wednesday said at least 1,000 frontliners have been afflicted with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), including 26 who have died.
Majority of the 1,062 affected medical frontliners are physicians (422) and nurses (386). Also affected were nursing assistants (51), 30 medical technologists, 21 radiologic technologists, and 152 other medical workers, such as administrative workers and barangay health workers.
The DOH said of the 26 health workers who have died, 19 were physicians.
The 1,062 infection figure is equivalent to about a 16 percent infection rate, higher than the “worrisome” 13 percent rate noted by WHO last Tuesday.
“The worrisome trend we see is in the Philippines, where the percentage is 13 percent. It is very worrisome,” WHO Western Pacific COVID-19 incident manager Dr. Abdi Mahamud said on Tuesday.
WHO said other countries in the Western Pacific Region show an infection rate of only 2 to 3 percent among healthcare workers.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH is ready to conduct and investigation. She noted the DOH has long issued guidelines on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), in accordance with the protocols set by the WHO.
Mahamud has said among reasons for the high infection rate is a shortage of PPE and an “overwhelmed” Philippine health system.
Vergeire said, “The Department is one with the WHO in wanting to find out if there are those that do not follow our established guidelines regarding infection control in our health facilities… The correct use of PPE is one of the main strategies we are using to protect our frontliners.”
Vergeire said the DOH will continue to find ways to provide enough PPE sets to all medical personnel.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III led the turnover of 10,000 locally manufactured PPE sets to the Philippine General Hospital, one the designated COVID-19 referral hospitals.
The first tranche of 300,000 PPE sets was produced by member-companies of the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (CONWEP) for the government.
“As our frontliners risk their lives every day to save other people, the DOH is committed in providing all the support needed to protect our frontliners in fulfilling their duties,” he said.
“The DOH will continue to seek out ways to lessen the various risks to our frontliners as their safety and well-being remain our top priority,” added Duque.
SEIZED PPE SETS TO BE DISTRIBUTED
Some P40 million worth of personal protective equipment and other medical supplies confiscated by the National Bureau of Investigation in its ongoing campaign against profiteers and hoarders can be used in the coming days by the frontliners.
The Bureau of Customs, the DOH, and the interior and agriculture departments signed an inter-agency circular setting procedures for the seizure, forfeiture, and disposal of confiscated goods under the Price Act and the Customs Modernization ans Tariffs Law.
Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said the confiscated PPE sets and other medical items will not go directly to the hospitals. Based on guidelines, these will be first turned over to the BOC or the Department of Trade and Industry, depending on the basis of confiscation or offense of the party or parties from which the items were seized by the authorities.
From there, the BOC or the DTI will conduct seizure proceedings, then the goods are either forfeited in favor of the government or disposed off according to the Price Act and the Customs modernization law.
“In case of disposition, the government is given preference. Once the goods are forfeited or disposed to the government, these will be distributed to hospitals after confirmation with the Food and Drug Administration that they are safe to use,” Perete said.
The NBI earlier said it has confiscated P41.7 million worth of PPE sets and other items such as thermal scanners, face masks, alcohol and hand sanitizers from hoarders and profiteers.
PROBE URGED
Rep. Bernadette Herrera of the party-list group Bagong Henerasyon urged the DOH and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to stop some private hospitals from charging their patients for donated PPE sets.
“We call on the DOH and IATF to punish private hospitals that are taking advantage of the current situation by charging patients for donated PPEs that were either provided by the government or donated by the private sector,” Herrera said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Vergeire said patients must not be charged for the use of donated PPE sets of those provided by government. Vergeire issued the statement following reports that private hospitals in Cebu allegedly are charging patients for the PPE. She said a patient can be charged for the PPE only if the hospital bought it.
Herrera said the issue was first brought to public attention as early as first week of April but no action seemed to have been taken as complaints continue.
“This is clearly profiteering,” Herrera said. “I wish to remind hospitals involved in this unfair practice that it is immoral and unacceptable for you to take advantage of this public health crisis.”
Herrera, a House deputy majority leader said she was no longer surprised why some COVID-19 patients’ hospital bills reached millions as charges on PPE sets alone could reach at least P378,000 for a three-week confinement.
Citing reports, Herrera said some hospitals charge at least P1,500 for each PPE. Other hospitals even charge higher because there are PPEs worth between P3,000 and P4,000 per set, she added.
Last week, the Private Hospitals Association Philippines Inc. (PHAPi) said
COVID-19 patients confined in private hospitals will shoulder the cost of PPE used during their treatment, but not if the PPE was donated.
The group’s president, Rustico Jimenez, also said he has been asking the DOH to give donated PPE sets also to private hospitals. He said private hospitals import PPE sets.
According to the group, each COVID patient in critical condition could consume 12 to 18 PPE sets a day.
DONATIONS
Chinese casino owner Kim Wong donated 20,000 rapid testing kits and over 200,000 face masks to top security officials.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and Armed Forces chief Gen. Felimon Santos Jr received the donation from Kim Wong, of the Oriental Group, on Tuesday in Camp Aguinaldo.
Also present during the turnover were Office of Civil Defense administrator Ricardo Jalad, Transportation Undersecretary Artemio Tuason, and Coast Guard commandant Admiral Joel Garcia.
Apart from the 20,000 rapid testing kits, Wong donated 200,000 surgical face masks, 6,000 N95 masks, 3,000 personal protective equipment, and 1,000 goggles, said DND spokesman Arsenio Andolong.
The equipment will be used to screen about 45,000 overseas Filipino workers and seafarers who are expected to return to the country in the coming days.
“These equipment and kits are expected to shorten the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for returning Filipinos as they can immediately identify, isolate, and treat those who are positive for COVID-19,” said Andolong.
Andolong said Wong committed to donate another 25,000 test kits to cover the rest of the inbound OFWs and seafarers.
Meanwhile, a C-130 plane of the Air Force hauled 66 boxes of BGI laboratory equipment for COVID-19 testing.
The plane arrived at Clark Air Base in Pampanga on Wednesday, from Shenzhen, China, said Air Force spokesman Maj. Aristides Galang.
Galang said the equipment, weighing 10,000 lbs, came as a grant assistance from the Asian Development Bank. They were received by the DOH shortly after arrival at the air base. — With Wendell Vigilia
