Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro Herbosa speaks before the House panel on appropriation’s hearing on the 2025 proposed budget of the DOH on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. (Screenshot from Youtube/House of Representatives)
MANILA, Philippines — Testing for mpox (formerly called monkeypox) is free in government hospitals, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday.
During a House panel on appropriations hearing on the 2025 proposed budget for DOH, Iloilo First District Rep. Janette Garin asked Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa if mpox testing is free for the public.
“As of now, tama po (that’s right). And I have asked PhilHealth to actually create already a benefit package for mpox testing because we will run out of the test kits pretty soon and we will have to procure additional test kits,” Herbosa said.
The lawmaker then asked if the testing can be done in government hospitals.
“In this new war, although this is milder than Covid, ‘yong mata natin para makita ‘yong kalaban natin and that is testing ay nilalagay sa gobyernong ospital at ibinibigay na libre ng DOH at ng BBM administration. Can you confirm that?” Garin asked.
(In this new battle, although it’s milder than COVID, our means of detecting the enemy — testing — are provided for free by government hospitals through the DOH and the Marcos administration. Can you confirm this?)
“I confirm,” Herbosa answered.
Furthermore, the Health secretary also advised that the mpox virus can be avoided through frequent handwashing.
READ: DOH updates guidelines to keep public safe from mpox
“Higher risk kapag longer ang exposure at more intimate yung skin to skin contact but also, ang advisory namin is frequent hand washing so kung may natouch ka at hindi ka sure, just wash your hands and the mpox virus will actually be deactivated by soap and water,” he noted.
(The risk is higher with longer exposure and more intimate skin-to-skin contact. However, our advice is to wash your hands frequently. If you touch something and are unsure, just wash your hands—the mpox virus can be deactivated by soap and water.)
Herbosa also clarified that the virus cannot be contracted through minimal skin contact in crowded places or on train rides.
The DOH on Sunday recorded three more new cases of mpox, bringing the total number of active cases to eight. The country has currently logged 17 cases since July 2022.
DOH said that the common symptoms of mpox include skin rash or mucosal lesions that can last from two to four weeks.
The rash can also be accompanied by a fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
READ: DOH records 3 new victims of mpox, bringing total number of cases to 17