The country has ranked 53rd out of 195 countries in terms of overall readiness in health security and related capabilities according to the 2019 Global Health Security (GHS) Index.
This was announced by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Fortunato dela Peña during his weekly report on Facebook.
The Global Health Security (GHS) Index is the first comprehensive assessment and benchmarking of health security and related capabilities across the 195 countries that make up the States Parties to the International Health Regulations.
DOST- National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NCRP) Vice President Dr. Raul Destura presented this reported during the agency’s 87th Annual Scientific Meeting.
Dr. Destura is the scientist behind the development of the first local production of the COVID-19 test kit in the country and one of the country’s experts in the field of infectious diseases and aptly the resource person on the global scenario of health risks.
The 2019 GHS Index shows a disturbing average GHS Index score among all 195 countries assessed at 40.2 of a possible score of 100. This leads to the overall findings that national health security is fundamentally weak around the world.
There is also no country that is fully prepared for the world’s most omnipresent risks: infectious disease outbreaks that can lead to international epidemics and pandemics, and every country has important gaps to address.
Dr. Destura presented where the Philippines stood in the GHS scoring in terms of the six categories, namely: prevention; detection and reporting; rapid response; health system; compliance with international norms; and risk environment.
The overall readiness rating of the Philippines is 47.6 percent or 53rd out of 195 countries.
Notably, the Philippines scored 100 percent in data integration between human/animal/environmental health sectors, 91.2 percent in immunization, 83.3 percent in laboratory systems, 84.6 percent in communication infrastructure, and 87.5 percent for international commitments the country.
However, the country got zero percent in biosafety and dual-use research and culture of responsible science, linking public health and security authorities, communications with healthcare workers during a public health emergency and Joint External Evaluation (JEE) and Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS).
In terms of prevention, the country’s average is 38.5 percent compared to the global average of 34.8 percent.
In detection and reporting, Philippines rated high at 63.6 percent compared to the global average of 41.9 percent.
For rapid response, the country got 43.8 percent compared to the global average of 38.4 percent.
On the health system, the country’s score is 38.2 percent compared to the global average of 26.4 percent.
On compliance with international norms, the country’s score is 49.8 perc ent compared to the global average of 48.5 percent.
On risk environment, the country’s score is lower at 50.3 compared to the global average of 55.0 percent.
Dr. Destura emphasized that global infectious disease emergencies is a recurring phenomenon, and will not end with COVID-19.
“The current pandemic taught us that the country can be cut-off from the rest of the world and vice-versa; therefore, in-country self-sustainable biopreparedness program is needed. Bio-preparedness programs require analysis of what works around the world and why it will or will not work in our setting,” he said.
“But the more important conclusion is that the science and technology sector has to be involved years before the onset of a pandemic,” he added