The Department of Health (DOH) said Monday, Nov. 15, that it has created an administrative order allowing hospitals and local government units (LGUs) to procure a supply of Ronapreve drug on their own.
The policy, according to DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, will hasten the procurement process and make the drug available for the public sooner.
Ronapreve drug is a treatment used for patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). It was recently granted an emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"So for us to facilitate the process at hindi tayo magkaroon ng bottle neck to facilitate provisions of this drug in our hospitals, gumawa tayo ng AO (So, for us to facilitate the process and to avoid bottle neck to facilitate provision of this drug in our hospitals, we created an AO)," Vergeire said in a press briefing.
Vergeire explained that through this they are "giving authorities to hospitals and LGUs for them to procure this type of drugs."
"This AO serves to provide that authority to our implementing units so they can procure on their own," the health official said.
"'Di na kailangan na DOH ang bumili tapos magpapa-allocate pa sa lahat ng hospitals para mas mablis at magamit agad ng ating kababayan ang ganitong gamot (DOH will not to procure and then allocate it to hospitals, so that the process will be faster and the drug will be used by our fellow Filipinos sooner)," she added.