ADVERTISEMENT
970x220

Group appeals to SC to compel gov’t to conduct mass testing

Published Sep 13, 2020 16:46 pm  |  Updated Sep 13, 2020 16:46 pm

Advocacy group Coalition for People's Right to Health has renewed its call for free mass testing amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Dr. Julie Caguiat appealed anew to the Supreme Court Sunday to compel government to conduct a “proactive” mass testing of suspected COVID-19 patients.

A taxi driver (R) gets tested by health workers (L) for coronavirus COVID-19 at a makeshift testing station in a carpark in Hong Kong on July 19, 2020. - The deadly coronavirus is spreading out of control in Hong Kong with a record 100 new cases confirmed, the finance hub's leader said as she tightened social distancing measures to tackle the sudden surge in infections. (Photo by ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)
(Photo by ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

The High Court has yet to act on the group’s petition for mandamus filed in July.

"Matagal na naming pinananawagan yung mass testing. Nung July 3, nag-file kami ng petition for mandamus to conduct free and proactive mass testing sa Supreme Court. Ang ibig sabihin nun, parang sa DOH (Department of Health) na gawin mong available at libre yung services lalong-lalo na yung testing (We have long been calling for mass testing. On July 3, we filed a petition for mandamus before the Supreme Court to compel DOH to conduct free and proactive mass testing)," Caguiat said in an interview over DZBB.

Mass testing, she said helps government strengthen its contact tracing efforts.

"Alam natin mahalaga yan para sa contact tracing, mga susunod pang gagawin, at para magkaroon tayo ng mas magandang picture kung gaano na kakalat at naco-control ba yung COVID satin (We know that mass testing is important for contact tracing and to help the government plan its next steps in its fight against the virus and give us a better picture whether COVID-19 is spreading or if it's already under control)," she added.

Caguiat said that reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, the gold standard test for COVID-19, are expensive and not everyone can afford it.

"Bagamat nag-expand na ng testing capacity, ang dami pa ring problema sa implementation sa baba. Alam naman natin yung testing for COVID talagang may naglalabas pa rin ng malaking halaga, hindi sya libre (Although our testing has expanded, there are still problems in its implementation. We know that testing is expensive, it's not free)," Caguiat noted.

"Pag private, hindi covered ng Philhealth lahat. Yung iba na dumaan sa referral system ng barangay, maghihintay pa aabutin ng 2 weeks. Paano pa yung goal period na within 5 days ng symptoms na-test ka na agad. Tsaka paano yung ite-trace? Maski asymptomatic dapat nakukunan din ng swab testing (Philhealth doesn't pay the full cost of treatment for COVID-19 in other private hospitals. Others who went through the barangay referral system will have to wait another two weeks. Our goal is to test probable patients in the first five days of having symptoms. The delays also affect our contacting tracing. Asymptomatic patients also need to undergo swab testing.) ," she added.

The price of swab test ranges from a low of P3,500 to as high as P8,150.

Caguiat also urged government to conduct free testing on medical frontliners every three weeks.

"Nung dumating yung mga Chinese medical consultants dito, nag-suggest sila na ang healthcare workers every three weeks, nate-test dapat. Hindi nangyayari yan. May hospitals na hihintayin ka na lang magka-symptoms. ‘Yung iba by choice. E yung iba pag by choice, babayaran mo. Kawawa rin , na sila na nga ang nagsasakripisyo, yan pa inaabot nila (Chinese medical consultants suggested to test healthcare workers every three weeks. That's not happening. There are hospitals that will just wait for them to experience symptoms. Others offer testing by choice. Of course, if it's by choice, they need to pay for their testing. The plight of frontliners are quite sad. They are the ones sacrificing and this is how we repay them)," she added.

ADVERTISEMENT
300x250

Sign up by email to receive news.