DOH forms substitute team of healthcare workers

MANILA. Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. (Presidential Communications Photo)
MANILA. Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. (Presidential Communications Photo)

A SUBSTITUTE team composed of medical frontliners from provinces nationwide will be formed to provide health care professionals in Metro Manila a “time out”, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said this is one of three primary measures that will be taken in response to the concerns aired by the medical community.

The two others are strengthening localized lockdowns and drawing up a new strategy against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) epidemic in the country by Friday.

Vergeire said the agency’s staff in its regional offices will be deployed to hospitals in Metro Manila.

“Dito po sa naibigay nating time-out unang-una kailangan po nating gumawa ng substitution team para naman po makapagpahinga ang ating mga kapatid na healthcare workers dito po sa National Capital Region,” she said.

“May mga kasamahan po tayo sa mga DOH regional offices and hospitals na magpupunta po rito sa NCR upang po tumulong,” she added.

Vergeire said the DOH will also ask the help of private medical professionals.

“Mag a-anunsyo rin po kami ng mga programa para po sa private health care professionals na nasa ibang parte ng Pilipinas na gustong tumulong muna rito sa atin,” she said.

The DOH plans to strengthen the localized lockdowns by going on a house-to-house search for active case finding.

“Makakaasa po ang mga barangay na kami po ay kasama niyo sa pagbabahay-bahay para i-check sino ang may sintomas,” Vergeire assured.

She added that the DOH will have a meeting with the Alliance of Healthcare Professionals to craft a recalibrated strategy against Covid-19 which they hope to complete by Friday.

“Pangatlo po ay ang pagpapatupad ng bagong strategies para sa laban na ito, mamayang hapon o mayroon po kaming meeting kasama ang Alliance of Healthcare Professionals at tutulungan po nila tayo matapos ang recalibrated strategies sa Biyernes para po maipatupad din po natin,” Vergeire said.

The undersecretary said the public must put an effort to change their behavior amid the pandemic, saying the virus will stay for a long time.

“We call on everybody to be the solution it is a significant behavioral change in all areas of our life that will keep us and our loved ones safe,” she said.

“The virus will be here for a long time while organizations are working on a vaccine,” she added. (Jove Moya/SunStar Philippines)

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