PH Center for Disease Control bill hurdles final reading at the House

The House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill establishing Philippine Center for Disease Control (CDC), one of the priority measures of the Marcos administration.

House Bill No. 6522 was unanimously approved with 255 yes votes.  The measure grants CDC the technical authority on all matters regarding disease prevention and control by performing the following functions:

• providing technical guidance to the development of policies, programs, standards, guidelines, and monitoring and evaluation systems on the forecasting, prevention, monitoring and control of diseases, injuries, and disabilities both of national and international concern
• setting standards and the process for the establishment of Epidemiology and Surveillance Units or its corresponding surveillance reporting units, pursuant to law
• providing  quality  assurance  programs  to  ensure  the  quality  of  testing  for laboratories
• recommending to the President, through the Department of Health (DOH) Secretary, the declaration of a state of public  health  emergency in  case  of an  epidemic  of  national  or international concern
• developing, implementing, and maintaining training programs on specialized fields such as  field  epidemiology,  health  emergency  of  biological  concern,  laboratory services, infectious and tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases
• providing technical assistance and expert services to DOH offices
• developing, implementing and maintaining an integrated surveillance system  of diseases, injuries, and disabilities
• providing  technical guidance on the development, implementation and maintenance,  and  monitoring  of health  system  capacity  such  as operational capacities  of health facilities,  and performance  management  of the response systems in terms of contact tracing, quarantine, isolation, and other significant population-based health services
• investigating and responding, through surveillance and disease notification and conduct of field studies and research to outbreaks, epidemics, and other public health threats as the need arises
• developing and maintaining a network of public health laboratories in support of epidemiology and surveillance activities, among others

The bill proposes to transfer under the jurisdiction of the CDC the following DOH units: Epidemiology Bureau, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Sexually Transmitted Disease - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Cooperative Central Laboratory.

Also to be under the CDC are select functions of the  International Health Surveillance Division of the Bureau of Quarantine.  It will also supervise the passive international health surveillance and development of communication methods for wider and more effective delivery of critical public health information.

The CDC, however, will still be under the jurisdiction of the DOH.

"This bill will protect the Filipino people from the impact of all diseases of public health importance; develop policies, plans, and protocols to improve on all identified areas in the International Health Regulations (IHR) hazards; and clarify governance, decision-making, communication, and coordination processes and 20 protocols related to identifying, diagnosing, forecasting, preventing, controlling, eliminating and eradicating, and monitoring diseases of public health importance," the bill read.

"This will also ensure swift, coordinated, and data-driven surveillance and response through the DOH, the Epidemiology and Surveillance Units (ESUs), public health laboratory systems, points of entry, and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) system," it added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News