The Department of Health (DOH) reminded local government units (LGUs) and other organizations not to include prescription medicines in their COVID-19 homecare kits that they are distributing.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that this move may cause more harm than good to a person’s health.

“Gusto ko hong magsabi sa ating local governments and other organizations, alam ko po intensyon natin lahat ang makatulong sa ating mga kababayan, pero kapag nagbigay tayo ng homecare kits, huwag po tayong maglalagay ng mga prescription medications (I just want to remind our local governments and other organizations, I know we all intend to help our countrymen, but when we provide homecare kits, we should not put prescription medications),” said Vergeire during the Malacanang press briefing on Friday, Jan. 21.

“Baka po ito ay mas magkaroon ng harm sa ating mga kababayan (This may cause more harm to our countrymen) rather than giving them that benefit,” she added.

This was also echoed by Dr. Michael Tee of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and OCTA Research Group fellow.

“We see that many of our health kits given by our LGU or some companies contain antibiotics. I’ve seen patients consult me because they were given antibiotics. Let me emphasize, antibiotics are needed only if there is a secondary bacterial infection,” said Tee during the Go Negosyo forum on Friday.

Tee said that “using antibiotics unnecessarily will later on lead to antimicrobial resistance.”

“Antimicrobial resistance—that is going to make treating patients who have infection really difficult,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vergeire expressed her gratitude to LGUs and organizations who are distributing homecare kits.

“Gusto namin magpasalamat sa lahat ng local governments na sumunod dito sa ating pag issue out ng mga homecare kits para sa ating mga kababayan (We would like to thank all the local governments that have complied with this--- in issuing out homecare kits for our citizens),” she said.

“At kami ay nagpapasalamat sa mga organisasyon at ibang local governments na talagang mas tinaasan pa po nila ang antas ng mga components o laman ng mga kits na meron tayo (And we are grateful to the organizations and other local governments that actually added more components in the kits),” she furthered.