DOH on what to improve on COVID-19 response: Maraming marami

The Department of Health (DOH) has a lot on its plate in terms of improving its COVID-19 response, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Tuesday. 

Vergeire made the observation more than 100 days since the lockdown was imposed to prevent COVID-19 transmission, a measure that limited mobility of people and prevented mass gathering amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Marami. Maraming, marami. As we have said, itong virus, mga nangyayari, it is evolving. Puwedeng may protocol kami ngayon, bukas, nabago na siya kasi may bagong ebidensiyang lumabas. Marami rin kaming nakitang weaknesses noong ating sistema,” Vergeire said in a virtual forum. 

“Gusto natin lahat mag-improve in time so that we can have a more appropriate response,” Vergeire aded.

Vergeire said data gathering of COVID-19 cases must be improved through automation.

She also said there is still a need to increase COVID-19 facilities, including those laboratories processing COVID-19 test results.

“Unang-una, gusto natin ng improvement ng ating information system. Kailangan ma-automate natin lahat. Kailangan makagamit lahat ng automation, kailangan mas na-a-analyze natin ang data…These are the things we would like to improve on,” Vergeire said.

“It is not saying that we do not have it right now. Meron naman, pero siyempre, as we go along, we would like to make it better,” Vergeire added.

She then said the DOH is working day and night to accelerate accreditation of laboratories which will process COVID-19 test results.

“Pangalawa, gusto pa rin nating dumami ang facilities natin, kaya ang mga licensing officers natin, RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine), working day and night. 'Pag sa laboratory, in two weeks' time, may target kami, kailangan malisensiyahan namin this much,” Vergeire said. 

The DOH is also under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman over its alleged lethargic COVID-19 response.

Vergeire said the country’s COVID-19 testing capacity is 12,000 to 13,000 a day at the moment. 

The case doubling time is seven days, while the critical care utilization is at 35%. 

There are also 65,328 dedicated community isolation beds across the country, while over 52,000 contact tracers have been deployed. 

The Philippines has recorded 30,682 COVID-19 cases as of Monday. Of this number, 8,143 recovered while 1,177 died. —KG, GMA News