Senators urge DOH to learn from COVID-19 pandemic, intensify surveillance vs monkeypox

The Department of Health (DOH) should learn from the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic and intensify its planning and surveillance of monkeypox cases in the country, several senators said Friday.

“Nananawagan ako sa administrasyon na doblehin ang surveillance capacity ng Department of Health (DOH), ngayong na-confirm na ang monkeypox sa loob ng bansa,” opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said in a statement.

“Kahit na wala pang naitalagang health secretary, dapat ay patuloy na palakasin at pagtibayin ang kakayahan ng ating health system na magbantay at mag-screen ng mga suspected cases ng monkeypox.”

Nevertheless, Hontiveros was confident the current DOH officials had the competence to respond to the monkeypox situation now that it was classified as a public health emergency of international concern.

“Sa katunayan, dahil nainform tayo agad, ibig sabihin ay gumagana ang notifiable disease reporting ng ahensya,” said the senator.

While the appointment of a health secretary was urgent, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said DOH officials should already craft a plan that would prevent the spread of monkeypox in the country.

“There should be a plan. But no need to emphasize monkeypox over one case. No need to be alarmed or to panic. Relax lang. Magplano muna,” Pimentel said in a Viber message to reporters.

Senate Health and Demography Committee Chairman Bong Go echoed Hontiveros’ call for the DOH to bear down on the effort to prevent monkeypox from spreading.

“With the first confirmed monkeypox case in the Philippines, I call upon our health authorities to intensify further our awareness, detection, disease surveillance, and containment efforts,” Go said in his statement.

The lawmaker said he was planning to file a Senate resolution asking the DOH and other relevant agencies about their specific strategies and measures to ensure the capability of our healthcare system.

“We have learned a lot from the COVID-19 pandemic and we hope that, guided by good science, we know better how to handle monkeypox this time,” Go said.

He appealed to the public to follow minimum health standards as he explained that the economy will be affected if the healthcare system collapses.

Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito said the “worrying” news about the first case of monkeypox in the country amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic should trigger immediate action from the government.

“I hope that government agencies learned their lessons in handling a pandemic. We need to make sure we have the right information about monkeypox. Naglabas na ang WHO ng guidelines, may mga pag-aaral na din sa pinanggalingan ng virus at maging sa Europa kung saan mabilis ang pagkalat nito,” said Ejercito.

The lawmaker emphasized that correct information should be communicated to the public so it would not cause panic. Furthermore, the government’s actions should be based on available scientific data.

Ejercito also urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to create a task force similar to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to ensure a coordinated response from the government.

This task force should involve officials from health, quarantine, immigration, and other related agencies, the senator said.

Ejercito, like Pimentel, believed that Marcos should appoint a health secretary to make sure that the government’s attention was focused on monkeypox.

While the President has yet to decide who will be the next health chief, Ejercito was confident that acting Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire would use her experience and knowledge to address the problem.

“Huwag tayong mag-panic. Huwag haluan ng pulitika. Magkaisa lang tayo. I am confident na kaya natin pigilan ang potential outbreak ng monkeypox,” the senator said.

In a press briefing Friday afternoon, the DOH confirmed that the Philippines had its first case of monkeypox.

The DOH said monkeypox was a virus transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, or contaminated materials.

A viral infection resembling smallpox and first detected in humans in 1970, monkeypox is less dangerous and contagious than smallpox, which was eradicated in 1980.

The first symptoms can include a fever, headaches, sharp muscle pains, fatigue, a rash, as well as swollen and painful lymph nodes, according to an Agence France-Presse explainer. — DVM, GMA News