The Department of Health (DOH) assured that the country has "sufficient" supply of medical oxygen - which is vital for treating those who contracted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“It is enough, it is sufficient sa ngayon---sa current number din ng mga kaso natin (as of now - for the current number of our cases),” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a press briefing on Friday, May 7.
“Based on our data, ito pong ating current supplies, kung mado-doble po per month ang ating mga kaso--- ay sufficient pa ang ating mga needs for oxygen (Based on our data, our current supplies....if our cases will double per month, our supply for oxygen will still be sufficient),” she added.
Despite this, Vergeire said that the government is still aiming to increase the supply of medical oxygen, noting that the Department of Trade and Industry is currently coordinating with three medical oxygen manufacturers located in Cebu, Taguig City, and Calamba in Laguna.
“Ayaw pa rin pong magkaroon ng complacency ang ating gobyerno...Ang Department of Trade and Industry ay talagang kinakausap na po ang mga nagpro-produce ng ating mga oxygen dito sa ating bansa so that we can have more (Our government does not want to be complacent... The Department of Trade and Industry is now coordinating with medical oxygen manufacturers in our country so we can have more ),” she said.
“Meron pong pag-uusap na (There are now discussions) on how we can generate more oxygen so that we can be ready and we can prepare our health system if in case, and hopefully not, na magkaroon po tayo ng mas mataas na pangangailangan para sa oxygen supply (that we have a higher demand for oxygen supply),” she added.
As of this writing, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the Philippines is at 63,170. Since the pandemic began, the cumulative total stood at 1.080,172, including 999,011 recoveries and 17,991 deaths.