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Galvez hails Western Visayas’ Covid-19 response

By Gail Momblan

June 2, 2020, 7:20 pm

<p><strong>PPE SUPPLY.</strong> Secretary Carlito Galvez (left), the chief implementer of the National Action Plan on Covid-19, turns over personal protective equipment (PPE) to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas (center) and Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. during a meeting at the Casa Real de Iloilo on Tuesday (June 2, 2020). Galvez praised the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response efforts of Western Visayas. <em>(PNA photo by Gail Momblan)</em></p>

PPE SUPPLY. Secretary Carlito Galvez (left), the chief implementer of the National Action Plan on Covid-19, turns over personal protective equipment (PPE) to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas (center) and Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. during a meeting at the Casa Real de Iloilo on Tuesday (June 2, 2020). Galvez praised the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response efforts of Western Visayas. (PNA photo by Gail Momblan)

ILOILO CITY -- Secretary Carlito Galvez, chief implementer of the National Action Plan on Covid-19, has commended Western Visayas ( Region 6) on its response efforts against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Galvez was in this city on Tuesday to convene with the Western Visayas Regional Task Force Covid-19 and this region’s governors and mayors.

Present in the meeting were Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Governors Rhodora Cadiao of Antique, Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo, Samuel Gumarin of Guimaras, and Esteban Contreras of Capiz.

Galvez lauded the coordination among the region’s executives calling it "one of the strongest” and a “model” in the fight against Covid-19.

“I-report ko rito ang magandang samahan at collaboration ng region at sa pamumuno ng regional IATF, ni mayor Treñas at sa lahat ng governor na nandito ngayon. Ako ay nagpapasalamat dahil nakita ko ang preparations ng Region 6 (I will report (to the president) the unity and collaboration of the region led by the regional IATF, of Mayor Treñas, and all the governors who are present here. I am thankful because I have seen the preparations of Region 6),” he said.

The effective collaboration of the local leaders has resulted to the shift of all provinces and cities in Western Visayas to modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) last June 1.

“Hindi makakaabot sa MGCQ kung hindi maganda ang ating performance (MGCQ cannot be achieved if not for our good performance,” Galvez said.

He also hailed the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD 6) in Western Visayas for its performance in contact tracing.

As of Tuesday, Director Marilyn Convocar, DOH-CHD 6 director, reported that the region has traced all the 5,466 contacts of 113 Covid-19-positive cases.

Meanwhile, Galvez said President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bong Go have expressed their concern to the region, especially to its medical front-liners.

Thus, the national government has sent 200 Reverse Transcript Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test kits to Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) sub-national laboratory.

“We have brought 200 test kits or can test 10,000 people,” Galvez said.

He also turned over a total of 2,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) to provincial and city governments.

Galvez said the national government continues to provide PPEs to 699 government hospitals.

“The health and protection of the health workers are the most important for him (President Duterte),” he added.

He also said the national government is doing its effort to fast track the accreditation of Covid-19 testing laboratories.

After he met with local officials and the regional task force, Galvez visited the WVMC sub-national laboratory in this city’s Mandurriao District.

The WVMC, which can process an average of 150 to 300 samples a day, has already run 12,537 samples since March 23.

Several hospitals in the region such as the Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Western Visayas State University Hospital, and Teresita Jalandoni Memorial Hospital, are at the Level 3 of accreditation to become testing laboratories.

“More or less one week or two weeks, they can be accredited,” Galvez said. (PNA)


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