Health Group wants ‘honest report’ on PH’s COVID-19 situation

Health workers wait at a COVID-19 testing center at the Palacio de Manila during an enhanced community quarantine to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus on Monday, May 11, 2020, in Manila, Philippines. Several sports and events venues have been converted as quarantine facilities or testing centers as the country tries to cope with the ongoing pandemic. | AP Photo/Aaron Favila

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) Cebu Chapter is urging President Rodrigo Duterte to provide an “honest report” of the coronavirus disease 2019 situation in the country during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27.

Duterte is set to address the nation to make a report of the achievements that he has made in the past year and provide an overview of what else he plans to do in another year.  The president is also expected to give a report of the country’s COVID-19 situation.

For HEAD-Cebu, this year’s SONA is an opportunity for the President to reveal to the entire nation the truth about the pandemic that continues to affect various regions in the country.  In Region 7, Cebu City remains under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) because of the continuing increase in cases of the infection here.

“We want President Duterte to give us an honest report of the real situation in the Philippines and present sustainable and long-term solutions to the most pressing people’s issues especially in this time of global health crisis,” said Edgar Gahisan, RN, spokesperson of HEAD-Cebu Chapter.

HEAD-Cebu, he said, ais also looking forward to hearing concrete solutions to the problem that are “pro-people” are focused on the marginalized and vulnerable sectors of the society who are the most vulnerable to the impending economic recession that may result from the implementation of lockdowns since March.

The group said that the President’s SONA should be able to address the issues that directly affect the people.

“President Duterte needs to refocus and reorient his priorities and goals in order to soften the economic blow of the Covid-19 pandemic. To do this, he has to prioritize strengthening our healthcare system, people’s access to social safety nets and humanitarian assistance, and continuity of the supply chain for essential commodities and services, among others,” the group said.

The HEAD-Cebu also reiterates its demand for the conduct of mass testings by increasing the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) capacity that would lead to more testings done for suspected cases, close contacts of confirmed and probable cases, frontline healthcare workers, essential workers, people with underlying health conditions, and communities with a high number of COVID-19 cases.

“If the country can do this, Covid-19 cases will be detected, carriers will be isolated and contacts will be traced. Doing this will not only flatten the curve but would also lead to a more accurate data collection and presentation,” said the group. / dcb