Duterte OKs limited face-to-face classes in medical, allied health programs

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has allowed the resumption of limited face-to-face classes for medical and allied health programs in institutions located at general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ areas, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“Ito po ay sa mga med schools, mga medical allied programs sa mga higher educational institutions sa MGCQ at para po sa mga higher educational institutions in GCQ areas with base hospitals that cater to Covid-19 patients,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online Palace briefing.

(This is for med schools, for medical allied programs in higher educational institutions in MGCQ areas and for higher educational institutions in GCQ areas with base hospitals that cater to Covid-19 patients.)

“Ito po ay para hindi tayo maubusan ng mga doctor kung hindi po magpapatuloy yung mga face-to-face [classes] ng mga doctor at allied professionals,” he added.

(This is so that we won’t run out of doctors if we won’t allow the face-to-face classes of doctors and allied professionals.)

Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases allowed the University of the Philippines’ College of Medicine to resume its face-to-face clinical internship at the Philippine General Hospital.

When parts of the country were first placed under community quarantine in March, the Association of the Philippine Medical Colleges ordered universities to pull all medical interns out of hospitals in Metro Manila to prioritize their safety.

JPV