The Department of Health (DOH) said there is no need to establish another task force specifically for monkeypox.
DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said there is already an Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), "which is not just specific for Covid-19."
"Hindi natin kailangan gumawa pa ng another layer or another task force para matugunan natin ito. Tandaan po natin, yung Interagency Task Force natin, yung (We don't need to create another layer or another task force to address this. Let's remember, our Interagency Task Force, the) IATF, was specifically created for emerging and re-emerging diseases," said Vergeire during a press briefing on Tuesday, August 2.
"We don't need to create another IATF. We already have one," she added.
Vergeire said they are just waiting for the IATF-EID to be "reconstituted."
"And it can be used and it can be applicable---that it can provide the response needed for monkeypox," she said.
Infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante also have the same view on the matter.
"With our experience with Covid-19, nandoon na rin iyong mga committees na iyan, in place na rin iyan (those committees are already there, they are also in place), so I don’t see a task force that will really take care of that," he said during a public briefing also on Tuesday.
"It’s just proper coordination with the lead implementation coming from the Department of Health and then include also other attached agencies," he added.