Presidential spokesman Harry Roque is a coronavirus survivor mainly because of the antiviral drug called remdesivir.
Roque made a pitch for remdesivir to help ease coronavirus symptoms after some lawmakers questioned the Department of Health's (DOH) purchase of the drug as treatment for the illness.
Appearing on a televised press briefing from Davao City, the Palace official admitted he thought he was going to die when he was hospitalized for coronavirus disease last month. His health condition only improved after taking two vials of remdesivir.
"Nagpaalam na ako sa daigdig na ito noong pangatlong araw ng aking pagkakasakit. Ganoon po kasama iyong aking pakiramdam. Pero noong binigyan po ako ng dalawang dosage ng remdesivir, pang-apat na araw ay nakatayo na po ako (I said farewell to the world on my third day of illness. That's how bad I felt. But when I was given two doses of remdesivir, I was able to stand on my fourth day)...Ganoon po kabilis ang aking recovery after two dosages of remdesivir (That's how fast my recovery was after two dosages of remdesivir)," Roque said Monday, May 10.
"Samantalang bago ako bigyan ng remdesivir, akala ko po ay papunta na ako sa langit – iyon po ang katotohanan (Before being given remdesivir, I thought I was on my way to heaven. That's the truth)," he said.
Roque first got infected with the coronavirus last March but showed no symptoms. He later tested negative for the virus. But by early April, he contracted pneumonia due to coronavirus and got treatment at a government hospital. He was discharged almost a week after confinement.
After crediting remdesivir for his recovery, Roque admitted he was surprised that some lawmakers wanted the health department to stop using and importing such medication. He pointed out that the government takes into consideration the actual clinical trials on the use of remdesivir on coronavirus patients.
"Anyway, hindi lang naman po WHO (World Health Organization) ang tinitingnan natin. Tinitingnan din po natin talaga iyong actual clinical trials na ginagawa on Remdesivir (Anyway, it's not just the WHO advisory we consider. We also look into the actual clinical trials on Remdesivir)," he said.
House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza and Anakalusugan party-list Rep. Michael Defensor earlier raised questions about the health department's decision to buy P1 billion worth of Remdesivir after the World Health Organization recommended against the use of such drug in coronavirus treatment.
The global health body earlier claimed there was no evidence that remdesivir improves surveil and other outcomes in hospitalized patients.
Atienza accused the DOH of "wasteful double standard" for promoting the expensive drug remdesivir while dragging its feet on potential low-priced treatment such as the human grade Ivermectin.
The Palace earlier disclosed that the government was stockpiling on medical oxygen as well as remdesivir to help with the treatment of coronavirus patients in the country.