‘Pangarap lang?’ Hontiveros hits DOH, IATF for missing daily testing target

Baguio City residents undergo free COVID-19 swab testing in April, 2021 as the summer capital sees a rise in the number of infections. —EV ESPIRITU

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros called on the Department of Health (DOH) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to carry out their promise of conducting an average of 90,000 tests per day amid the rise of COVID- 19 cases in several provinces outside the National Capital Region.

“Yung mga targets ba ay talagang inaabot o pinapangarap lang? Nakakahiya na sa taumbayan… Alam naman ng IATF ang bilang ng tests na dapat magawa, pero bakit hindi nila tinototoo?” Hontiveros said in a statement.

(Are those targets really being met, or are these just dreams? It’s disgraceful… The IATF should know the number of tests that should be conducted, but why are these not being done?)

Last March 30, testing czar Vince Dizon guaranteed the public that the government would be capable of targeting at least 90,000 tests per day. However, data showed that for the month of May the average daily testing only reached at 42,866.

Nine of the 11 regions in the country are now dealing with the rise of cases. In addition, the country’s positivity rate is at 11.7%, which is far off the 5% prescribed threshold of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Hontiveros also appealed for the prompt increase of the country’s mass testing capacity to mitigate the spread of the virus and avoid economic fallout as well.

She also said that the failure of IATF and DOH to conduct a national mass testing will also be an added “burden” on our healthcare system and to the economy.

“It is obvious that every day we don’t hit our targets adds considerable burden on our already overwhelmed health care system. Mas mapapatagal din ang pagbubukas ng ekonomiya,” she said.

The senator stressed the importance of having an “official and national mass testing system” in the country to mitigate the transmission of the virus. This step would also be considered as a way to improve the capacity of the healthcare system towards contract tracing, isolation, and vaccination.

She also warned the government to be accountable for their promises and mistakes and boost their efforts to combat the spread of the virus.

“Ipakita nilang may balak silang sugpuin ang COVID sa lalong madaling panahon. Tama na ang mga pangakong puro napapako,” Hontiveros mentioned.

To date, the country has recorded 1,230,301 cases and 20,966 deaths.  The government has also been able to administer 2,788,766 doses of COVID-19 jabs. — Sofia Vertucio, trainee

EDV