FOLLOWING the state of public health emergency declaration in the Philippines, Davao City Council enacted a resolution reactivating the Davao City Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Diseases (Ereid) Task Force to become the forefront in monitoring the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in the city.
Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, chair of the committee on health, passed the resolution reactivating the task force, which will further step up the city’s preventive measures against Covid-19.
As of March 10, Department of Health (DOH-Davao) confirmed there are no more persons under investigation (PUI) making the entire Davao Region “Covid-free”.
Villafuerte said the reactivation of the task force was passed in a resolution during the Local Health Board meeting a week ago, even before state of public health emergency was declared.
The task force was previously activated for the reemergence of ebola, severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), and the Middle East respiratory syndrome-related Coronavirus (Mers-Cov).
Under Executive Order No. 268, series of 2014, the task force will be responsible for the management of emerging infectious diseases, with the goal of strengthening an integrated, responsive, and collaborative health system on emerging and reemergence of infectious diseases.
The councilor added people who will comprise the task force will have to reorganize as they were already given training in controlling the disease-spreading scenario in the city.
She also said DOH already started the training for the task force personnel.
“There is a need to institutionalize the Ereid Task Force for it to be more effective in meeting the extraordinary demands of securing the public from Infectious disease through various modes of promotion, protection, and intervention,” Villafuerte said during the suspended rules of the 19th City Council on Tuesday, March 10.
Villafuerte said the resolution could help the City Government, particularly the City Health Office (CHO), in getting additional funding in the procurement of equipment for the sanitation process.
“Pwede makahingi ng budget (ang CHO) kay Mayor, same sa City Veterinarian’s Office na kaagad humingi ng budget for the culling of pigs due to ASF (CHO can seek additional budget from Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the same way the City Veterinarian’s Office had asked for budget for the culling of pigs due due to the African Swine Flu),” the councilor said.
CHO will purchase personal protective equipment for the sanitation processing activities.
The funding will also be utilized for training of personnel who will be covered in the task force.
Meanwhile, she also passed a resolution creating an ordinance to institutionalize the CHO Ereid program. With this, Villafuerte said the task force will become a permanent program, similar to the Tropical Disease and Control Division.
Institutionalizing the program through funding from the City Government of Davao, according to her, would give them a specific focus, which is to contatin the spreading of the disease.
“Because of global warming, and eating and slaughtering of exotic animals would continue. Who knows what virus would come up again? Should we keep on re-activating the task force when there is only a resurgence of a virus,” the councilor said.