Global shortage is causing the delay and rationing of distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the different hospitals in the country to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
This, the Department of Health (DOH) said in reaction to criticisms they received regarding the rationing of PPEs in the country.
“We’ve read about how people are asking why the DOH is not buying when we have a large budget. Even if we want to buy now, we cannot buy any, so we are relying on donations for now,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
“We want to inform our fellow Filipinos that there is a global shortage of personal protective equipment,” Vergeire said, citing the situation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That is why we are studying how to rationally allocate the donations we are receiving to those who need it,” she also said.
The Lung Center of the Philippines has appealed for donations of PPEs, as people have been questioning what has happened to the budget of the DOH.
Last Monday, the Lung Center of the Philippines asked for donations of PPE suits as, according to a hospital official, their authorized suppliers have run out of supplies.
That is why they are setting up a private fund to buy PPE suits from other suppliers.
The official admitted that the cost of suits in the black market rose to P3,000 per piece, from just P500 before COVID-19 became a pandemic.
Meanwhile, over 23,000 PPEs for health workers have been turned over by the Office of Vice President (OVP) to 62 hospitals and communities amid the coronavirus disease or COVID-19 threat.
In a statement, the OVP said that among the 62 recipients of the items purchased thru funding from OVP and private donors include:
- UST Hospital;
- Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital;
- Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital;
- Valenzuela Citicare Medical Center;
- Novaliches General Hospital;
- National Center for Mental Health;
- Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital;
- Pasig Doctors Medical Center;
- San Juan City Hospital;
- Ospital ng Muntinlupa;
- Ospital ng Parañaque;
- Martin de Porres Charity Hospital;
- World Citi Medical Center;
- FEU Hospital;
- Rosario Maclang Bautista General Hospital;
- Hospital of the Infant Jesus Medical Center;
- Manila Doctors Hospital;
- Tondo Medical Center;
- Ospital ng Sampaloc;
- Ospital ng Makati;
- Manila Medical Center;
- Mary Chiles Hospital;
- Lung Center of the Philippines;
- Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center in La Union;
- Bondoc Peninsula District Hospital in Quezon
The OVP likewise continued its call to the public to donate more PPEs by visiting the link: bit.ly/forCOVID19frontliners.
Donors can also send their donation thru PayMaya and Lazada.
Earlier, the OVP handed out 7,350 sets of protective gear for health workers as fund drive for the OVP reaches P17 million.
In addition, the OVP also appealed to the public to help the office reach out to suppliers/makers of PPE sets by sending a message to this movie number +63 998 596 8820 or sending an email to angatbuhay@gmail.com.
Earlier, Vice President Leni Robredo called on the public to report the Facebook account of a certain Jerome Tan who claimed that the OVP collected P21 million worth of donations but failed to provide PPE sets for health workers amid the COVID-19 as OVP promised.
“In the midst of this tragedy, may gana pa talaga mag [post ng] fake news. Please check our page. We have been rendering regular reports of the PPEs we have already distributed and hospitals we have already served,” the Vice President said.
“Anyone can ask the hospitals directly whether or not they have already received PPEs from us. Please help us report this fake news peddler,” Robredo added./Stacy Ang
