Amid COVID-19 crisis, DOH braces for dengue, other typhoon-related ailments

MANILA, Philippines — Even in the middle of the dry season and the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, the state health department is already preparing for the emergence of dengue and other diseases related to the typhoon season. According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the public health services team of the Department of Health (DOH) has been tapped to ensure that typhoon-related illnesses would not add to the problem of the country’s health care system, which has already taken a beating from the onslaught of the novel coronavirus.

Vergeire said they will ask hospitals to administer non-COVID pathways in their services to cater to patients with other ailments.

“Ito ‘yung mga sakit o ibang mga services na dapat i-offer pa rin ng ating healthcare in spite of us having this crisis with COVID at kasama na diyan ‘yung dengue,” Vergeire said in an online press briefing.

(These are illnesses or other services that our healthcare must offer in spite of us having this crisis with COVID and that includes dengue.)

COVID-19 quarantine facilities and referral hospitals have been set up by the government to effectively manage the growing number of infected individuals in the country.

Earlier, DOH reminded hospitals nationwide to continue to provide essential health care services and don’t turn away patients even as the country is grappling with a public health emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Philippines so far has 6,710 cases of COVID-19, including 693 recoveries and 446 deaths.

KGA