COVID-19 KITS. National Task Force Against Covid-19 and local officials meet in Zamboanga City on Friday (May 21, 2021) under strict safety protocols. The NTF turned over Covid-19 test kits, personal protective equipment, and medicines and promised more assistance in the coming weeks. (Photo courtesy of NTF)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 vowed to help the local government and health officials scale up their coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response and mitigation efforts to address the ongoing surge here.
During the visit of NTF officials on Friday, the city received more than 10,000 antigen test kits, 1,000 personal protective equipment (PPE), 13 high flow cannulas, and five ventilators.
Two of the ventilators have been allocated to the Zamboanga City Medical Center, while three units will be for the use of Basilan’s health facilities.
“What Zamboanga is experiencing is exactly the same situation experienced by Metro Manila, its nearby provinces, including Baguio. While it is overwhelming at napakahirap (and really hard), it can be done. Kaya siyang gawin (It can be done),” noted NTF Deputy Chief Implementer and testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon.
“We will be here for you. Pwede natin maiwasan ang nakita natin sa ibang bansa (We can avoid what is happening in other countries),” Dizon said.
As of May 19, the city has 2,304 active cases, with a seven-day positivity rate of 29.27 percent.
Dizon outlined several recommendations which could effectively contain the spread of the virus and prevent local transmissions.
These include reducing the mobility of people, strengthening the capacity of healthcare facilities, ensuring the strict compliance of minimum public health standards and community quarantine protocols, imposing granular lockdowns, intensifying the city government’s PDITR (prevent-detect-isolate-treat-reintegrate-strategy), and scaling up local vaccination efforts.
“You have our commitment, together with (NTF Chief Implementer) Secretary (Carlito) Galvez, that we will increase the vaccine allocation in Zamboanga City,” Dizon added.
Zamboanga is included in the expansion areas under the NTF’s “center of gravity” strategy, wherein the government’s vaccine supply will be focused on areas that are considered high risk.
Additional facility, assistance
Dizon confirmed that the Department of Public Works and Highways will turn over to the city government a 280-bed isolation facility for mild and asymptomatic patients on June 15.
The construction of the 22-bed modular hospital that will cater to moderate and severe cases will commence by the first week of June.
An additional 14,000 PPE will also be sent to the city next week while Department of Health Assistant Secretary Romeo Ong committed to provide an additional 11 ventilators.
Ong also turned over 100 vials of Remdesivir for the use of Covid-19 patients confined at the Zamboanga City Medical Center.
According to the hospital’s medical chief, Dr. Afdal Kunting, one of the contributing factors in the death of Covid-19 patients is the lack of medicines.
Meanwhile, Baguio City Mayor and contact tracing czar Benjamin Magalong Jr. urged the city health office to utilize the link analysis software and systems to intensify contact tracing.
“If you need us to retrain your people and reinforce the use of the system, tell us so we can help you,” Magalong said.
Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco thanked the NTF for the continued support and committed to adhere to the recommendations of the NTF.
“We acknowledge that we need to strengthen our strategies on Prevention-Detection-Isolation-Treatment-Reintegration Strategy,” Climaco said. (PR)
