By Ellson Quismorio
Chinese doctors experienced in battling the COVID-19 pandemic are welcome to the Philippines, according to two members of the House of Representatives.
A medical worker checks a thermometer at a fever clinic at the Huanggang Zhongxin Hospital in Huanggang, China's central Hubei province on March 27, 2020. (Photo by Noel Celis / AFP /FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Rep. Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte 2nd district) and Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo (Quezon City, 2nd district), said last Tuesday that doctors from China could help show Philippine authorities the proper way to contain the deadly illness.
"Yes sa akin yan (That's a yes for me)," House Committee on Dangerous Drugs Chairman Barbers said when asked to comment on the prospect of having the foreign doctors over.
"We need all the help we can get so we may apply best practices all over the world here in our country," he said.
The new strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, Hubei Province in China. It first caught the world's attention in late December.
Since then, news coming from China has focused on how the pandemic has been successfully contained. In fact, Beijing has begun sending different forms of assistance to other countries grappling with COVID-19, including the Philippines.
"All help we can get from anywhere is very much welcome, especially from China, because they have the experience, expertise and resources to address the pandemic," said Castelo, a vice chairman of the House Committee on Metro Manila Development.
"China was able to contain the problem. They will be a big help to us," underscored the lady solon.
Earlier, the Department of Health (DOH) revealed that it was readying hotel accommodations and local translators for the 12 Chinese doctors who will come to the Philippines and share the lessons learned from their experience in fighting the outbreak of the disease in Wuhan.