AN ORGANIZATION of community-based health programs questioned on Wednesday the actual readiness of the country against the potential entry of the dreaded Ebola virus disease (EVD).
In a statement, the Council for Health and Development (CHD) said the mere fact that there continues to be outbreaks of measles and dengue only shows the poor state of the country's public health system.
"If the DOH has a problem managing preventable infectious diseases such as measles, how can we be assured that it can handle the deadly Ebola virus?" said CHD deputy executive director Rosalinda Tablang.
"CHD cannot help but worry given the state of the country's public health system. The country’s public health care system is failing particularly in disease prevention and control as outbreaks of diseases such as measles and dengue are concrete indicators," she added.
Tablang noted the recent outbreak of measles in the country during the earlier part of the year, particularly in the cities of Manila, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Taguig and Valenzuela.
She also noted how clustering of dengue cases continues to be present in some communities.
Because of such observation, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) and the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) said the Department of Health (DOH) should first address such concerns before even agreeing to send health workers to Ebola-hit states.
"We should not send health workers to Ebola-hit countries. We should first strengthen our own front," said PMA president Dr. Minerva Calimag.
"We should protect our country first from the entry of Ebola virus, especially those coming from West African countries. This should be the focus of our efforts in the light of the looming global epidemic on the dreaded virus," said PCP president Anthony Leachon.
Earlier, the DOH said they are considering sending health workers to Ebola-hit countries like Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone in response to the appeal of the United Nations.
For his part, Vice President Jejomar Binay said the government has to identify the hospitals with capability to stabilize and treat Ebola patients.
"Isolation facilities, trained personnel and required equipment must be all available at these hospitals," said Binay, presidential adviser on OFW (overseas Filipino workers) concerns.
He also urged overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning from Ebola-hit countries to be patient as they undergo quarantine procedures to prevent the entry of the virus in the country.
The government recently implemented a 21-day screening for Filipinos in Ebola-hit countries in West Africa before they would be allowed to travel to back to the country.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are already 8,400 Ebola cases, including 4,033 deaths. (HDT/Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)