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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider PMA: PH needs to strengthen contact tracing efforts

PMA: PH needs to strengthen contact tracing efforts

Published Aug 3, 2020 01:31 pm

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said on Monday the country needs to strengthen its contact tracing efforts amid its fight against the coronavirus disease.

(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

Even though the Philippines increased its testing capacities, PMA president Jose Santiago said it still has "very weak" contact tracing efforts.

"Kailangan po nating paigtingin ang ating contact tracing kasi meron na po tayong pwedeng pagayahan po, yung Baguio, maganda po yung kanilang contact tracing. Pagka na-diagnose, ite-trace yung mga nakasalamuha mo sa meeting, pinuntahan , para po yung mga naexpose nyo, hindi magkalat ng virus (We need to strengthen our contact tracing the same way Baguio did. After they diagnose their patient, they trace everyone who came in contact with the patient for five days, so those who were exposed to the patient will not spread the virus)," Santiago told DZBB.

In an interview over ANC, Santiago reiterated the need to intensify contact tracing.

"We have to strengthen our contact tracing. That's really the problem. We have identified now the positive COVID-19 patients, we have to make sure contact tracing is really observed and really implemented. That's the important thing, you identify, you contact trace, isolate, and treat,"

Santiago said during their proposed two week-lockdown, the government should "urgently" address hospital workforce deficiency, failure of case finding and isolation, failure of contact tracing and quarantine, transportation safety, workplace safety, public compliance with self-protection, and social amelioration.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, the designated tracing czar earlier said only 4 of 615 local government units (LGU) have a good COVID-19 tracing system in place.

Magalong said he asked 1,800 LGUs to answer a "diagnostic questionnaire" to give him a better understanding of their contact tracing capability. Only 614 responded.

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