MANILA, Philippines — The first batch of 2,000 virus test kits donated by China arrived on Monday, the Chinese Embassy said, adding that more kits, as well as protective suits, are due to be brought in the Philippines as the country tries to contain the outbreak of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Also on Monday, Malacañang called on the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to expedite the release of personal protective equipment (PPEs), of which many hospitals are now in short supply.
The test kits, donated by the Chinese Embassy and the China Mammoth Foundation, were developed by Beijing Genomics Institute or the BGI Group.
According to the embassy, the kits have been widely used in China, are “proven to be quite effective” and have been exported to more than 50 countries, including Japan, Thailand, Brunei, Egypt, Peru and the United Arab Emirates.
It said the test kits can issue results in three hours.
‘Valuable support’
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed the donation with his Philippine counterpart, Teodoro Locsin Jr., in a phone conversation last Sunday.
Wang “thanked the Philippine government and people for giving China valuable support when the epidemic situation in China was severe,” a statement by the embassy quoted him as saying.
The Department of Health (DOH) said earlier it only had 2,000 test kits. The test kits developed by University of the Philippines medical experts are still being evaluated.
Massive testing, a policy pushed by South Korea instead of imposing a lockdown, is seen to help the early diagnosis of those who have contracted the virus.
Other fund-raising initiatives to help provide health workers with PPEs include the Kaya Natin! Movement spearheaded by Vice President Leni Robredo, which has raised P14.9 million as of Monday night.
‘Release the supplies’
In his press briefing on Monday, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said, addressing the matter of PPEs stored by the BOC, “We are now calling [on] the commissioner of Customs to release it immediately, if that’s the only problem. Maybe there had been a problem. But we will urge him to facilitate the release of these supplies.”
It was Locsin who flagged the “tons” of PPEs in the BOC warehouses following reports that several hospitals were lacking those crucial items.
Locsin’s tweet on Sunday night went, “If PGH (Philippine General Hospital) and other front-line medical personnel are looking for PPEs, they are in Customs warehouse, tons of them. Go get them there. PGH is an arm of government and entitled to take them.”
Assistant Customs Commissioner Vincent Philip Maronilla disputed the notion that the items had been withheld by Customs.
“In fact, as early as February when this outbreak started, the commissioner issued a directive for shipments of PPEs to be immediately released,” he told the Inquirer.
Maronilla added: “We fully understand the gravity of the situation. Our families could be next. That’s why we don’t want that there would be a lack of supply.”
New arrivals
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III identified 14 countries from where new arrivals would be checked by the Bureau of Quarantine: China, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Japan, Spain, Italy, France, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.
These countries were identified to have “high COVID-19 risk of importation to the Philippines,” he said.
In a separate memorandum, Duque prohibited all hospitals handling patients suspected or confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus from releasing information on them ahead of the DOH.
Under Memorandum No. 2020-0110, dated March 13, hospitals were told that they were third in line in reporting that they have suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases under their care “to avoid confusion among the public.”
“To ensure harmonized reporting, prevent the circulation of unverified information and avoid confusion among the public, all public and private hospitals and other health care facilities are hereby prohibited to report or release information related to any suspected and/or confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths prior to the reporting of such by first, the DOH and second, the concerned local government unit,” the memorandum read.
The DOH has also agreed with local officials that they could only identify cases in their areas once these have been validated and reported by the department.
Duque warned of administrative and disciplinary sanctions against anyone who would release unauthorized information or spread unverified or false reports.
He said they may be charged with violating Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; RA 10173, or the Data Privacy Act; and RA 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
—Reports from Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Ben O. De Vera, Leila B. Salaverria, Jovic Yee aAnd Jhesset O. Enano