Nat’l government pours support, assistance to Zamboanga to manage current COVID 19 surge
Press Release ---The National Task Force (NTF) against COVID 19 has vowed to help local government and health officials scale up the city’s coronavirus response and mitigation efforts to address the ongoing surge in the area.
During the visit of NTF officials to the city on Friday, May 21, they turned over 10,000 antigen test kits, 1,000 personal protective equipment (PPEs), 13 high flow cannulas and five ventilators to local executives.
Two of the ventilators have been allocated for the Zamboanga City Medical Center, while three units will be for the use of Basilan’s health facilities.
“What Zamboanga is experiencing is exactly the same situation experienced by Metro Manila, its nearby provinces, including Baguio. While it is overwhelming at napakahirap, it can be done. Kaya syang gawin,” noted NTF Deputy Chief Implementer and testing czar Secretary Vivencio Dizon
“We will be here for you. Pwede natin maiwasan ang nakita natin sa ibang bansa,” Dizon said.
As of May 19, the city has recorded 2,304 active cases, with a 7-day positivity rate of 29.27%.
Dizon outlined several recommendations which could effectively contain the spread of the virus and prevent local transmissions.
These measures, he said, include reducing the mobility of people, strengthening the capacity of healthcare facilities, ensuring the strict compliance of minimum public health standards and community quarantine protocols, imposing granular lockdowns, intensifying the city government’s PDITR (prevent-detect-isolate-treat-reintegrate-strategy), and scaling up local vaccination efforts.
“You have our commitment, together with Secretary Galvez, that we will increase the vaccine allocation in Zamboanga City,” Dizon added.
Zamboanga is included in the expansion areas under the NTF’s “center of gravity” strategy, wherein the government’s vaccine supply will be focused on areas that are considered high risk.
Dizon confirmed that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will turn over to the city government a 280-bed isolation facility for mild and asymptomatic patients on June 15.
He bared that the construction of a 22-bed modular hospital that will cater to moderate and severe cases will commence by the first week of June.
Dizon said that an additional 14,000 PPEs will also be sent to the city next week.
Department of Health Assistant Secretary Romeo Ong likewise committed to provide an additional 11 ventilators to the city next week.
Ong also turned over 100 vials of Remdesivir for the use of COVID-19 patients confined at the Zamboanga City Medical Center.
According to the hospital’s Medical Chief Dr. Afdal Kunting, one of the contributing factors in the death of COVID-19 patients is the lack of medicines to treat them.
Meanwhile, Baguio City Mayor and contact tracing czar Benjamin Magalong urged the city health office to utilize the link analysis software and systems to intensify contact tracing in the city.
“If you need us to retrain your people and reinforce the use of the system, tell us so we can help you,” Magalong said.
Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco thanked the NTF for the continued support and committed to adhere to the recommendations made by the Task Force.
“We acknowledge that we need to strengthen our strategies on Prevention-Detection-Isolation-Treatment-Reintegration Strategy,” Climaco said. END
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