The provincial office of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has agreed to assist the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) on the on-going Corona Virus Disease (CoViD-19) contagion that hit China and its Special Autonomous Regions Hongkong and Macau, including independent Taiwan.
In a coordination meeting yesterday (February 17), IPHO led by Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Rogelio Aturdido Jr. and DILG headed by Provincial Director Atty. Rochelle Mahinay-Sero with the attendance of the 11 Local Government Operations Officers (LGOOs) in the province, discussed their respective role in monitoring the disease particularly on reporting suspected patients under investigation (PUI) and persons under monitoring (PUM) that might arrive anytime in South Cotabato coming from said countries.
DILG, according to Atty. Sero, will conduct province-wide the inventory of the status and functionality of the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERT) which must have 1 team organized for every 5,000 population, help distribute the CoViD-19 algorithm or flow chart, orientation of BHERT about Protocol on “Zero Reporting” every 3pm daily by the Punong Barangay and close coordination with MHOs and IPHO as the contagion was not yet lifted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Prior to the discussion proper, Dr. Aturdido and Disease Surveillance Officer Celia Lorenzo,RND presented the present status of CoViD-19 specifically the number of cases in the affected countries, current status of CoViD-19 in the Philippines and South Cotabato, the meaning of PUI and PUM and the measures they instituted on the PUI and PUM in the province.
DILG likewise said they will encourage towns which will have their respective celebration this March to postpone it, but if not, will reiterate the enforcement of the circular that enjoins all LGUs who will organize and conduct public gathering, meetings and festivals to strictly implement he Department of Health (DOH) guidelines in handling guests.
This include monitoring all participants to public events with infrared thermometers, providing all their participants with hand sanitizers or 70% isopropyl alcohol, asking everyone to use surgical masks (not N95) if possible, and providing waste baskets for the proper disposal of all types of wastes.
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