President Duterte has approved “in principle” the release of P2.25 billion for the procurement of protective gear for health workers and an additional P10-million for the procurement of face masks in the country.
Department of Health (DoH) Secretary Francisco Duque III disclosed this on Tuesday during the Senate health and demography committee’s initial investigation into the Philippine government’s response to the novel coronavirus.
“The President has approved in principle the budget of a P2.25 billion for the procurement of personnel protective equipment (PPE) in the assumption that 5,000 healthcare workers who will need this,” Duque told the panel chaired by Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go.
The health secretary said the face masks are essential to the health workers as they have to go on duty round-the-clock this time in their effort to combat the nCoV.
“This is going to be on the assumption that these will last for 90 days or three months and multiplied by three shifts because the care has to be round the clock and the total amount would be P2.25 billion, plus of course, P10 million for surgical masks,” Duque added.
Each set of PPE would include headgears, goggles, N95 masks, gloves, apron and gowns which costs around R1,500.
On the same day, Duque said the President has reassured the public with transparency that the Philippine government is capable to address the nCoV.
“This is not the first time, we have been besieged by a similar coronavirus in 2002 and 2003, as well as the MersCOV in 2014 and 2015,” he pointed out.
“It is very important that we should be able to heighten all the interventions needed to respond to mount an effective response to these emerging infectious disease,” he stressed.
The country now has two confirmed cases of the nCoV. The second person, a companion of a Chinese woman who was the first to be confirmed having the coronavirus, is the first fatality outside of China.
According to the DoH, 80 suspected cases of nCoV have already been recorded, but 30 of them already tested negative of the virus.
NEW VEHICLES
The DoH will be given ample funds to acquire new vehicles for medical services, President Duterte vowed last Monday amid the government’s intensified efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.
The President directed the health department to make an inventory of its vehicles and promised to boost its transportation fleet during last Monday’s meeting with government officials in Malacañang on efforts to contain the coronavirus in the country.
“Health officials were also mandated by the President to conduct an inventory of vehicles at the DoH’s regional offices to be used in transporting infected persons,” a Palace press statement read.
“He vowed to allocate money for the DoH to help it buy new vehicles that will only cater to coronavirus infections,” it added.
The President also issued an appeal to private hospitals to help the government by accommodating patients in need of treatment, according to the Palace. Duterte made the appeal after learning of reports that some hospitals have refused to accept patients manifesting symptoms of the virus. (With a report from Genalyn Kabiling)