Gatchalian bats for creation of PH Center for Disease Prevention and Control

Amid the observance of the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness today, December 27, Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing for the creation of a Center for Disease Prevention and Control, which will be at the forefront of government response during health crises similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The current COVID-19 situation emphasizes the risks and highlights the need to improve preparedness, surveillance and response at local, national and international levels against future pandemics," Gatchalian said in the explanatory note of Senate Bill No. 825 or the Disease Prevention and Control Act, which he filed.

"To avoid heavily burdening our public health system that may signify serious repercussions, including countless morbidities and mortalities, trade disruptions and negative effect on the economy, our proposed measure emphasizes on the importance of having a strong public health capacity in communities across the country before any public health emergency occurs," Gatchalian added.

Under the proposed measure, the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) and the Department of Health's (DOH) Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, Epidemiology Bureau, Health Emergency Management Bureau, Bureau of Quarantine, and Health Promotion and Communication Service will be transferred under the Center, which shall serve as the principal agency on developing and applying communicable disease prevention and control initiatives. The Center will be an attached agency of the DOH.

Aside from managing and controlling the spread of infectious diseases in the country, the Center's other functions will cover research, health promotion programs, and the conduct of clinical trials, among others. The Center will also assess and support the capabilities of local government units (LGUs) to prevent the emergence and transmission of communicable diseases.

Gatchalian's proposed measure also seeks the creation of a National Health Strategy for Disease Prevention, which will consider challenges in areas such as the medical capacity and capability of hospitals and other health care facilities, and enhancement of information and technology in public health, among others.

The national health strategy will institutionalize a functional integrated disease surveillance and response system to include, among others, capacity building for early detection of epidemics, strengthening local capacity for surveillance and response, and promoting the efficient and effective management of surveillance data.

The proposed measure also seeks the creation of a medical reserve corps composed of volunteer health professionals that may be called into duty if needed during public health emergencies.

Paglikha ng Center for Disease Prevention and Control isinusulong ni Gatchalian

Sa gitna ng pagdiriwang ng International Day of Epidemic Preparedness ngayong araw, Disyembre 27, itinutulak ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang paglikha ng Center for Disease Prevention and Control na siyang mangunguna sa pagresponde ng pamahalaan sa mga krisis pang-kalusugan kagaya ng pandemya ng COVID-19.

"Binigyang diin ng pandemya ng COVID-19 ang panganib at ang pangangailangan para sa mas maigting na paghahanda, pagmamatyag, at pag-responde sa lokal, pambansa, at pandaigdigang mga antas laban sa mga susunod pang pandemya," ani Gatchalian sa explanatory note ng Senate Bill No. 825 o ang Disease Prevention and Control Act na kanyang inihain.

"Upang maiwasan ang matinding dagok sa ating sistemang pang-kulusugan na magdudulot ng matinding pagkakasakit at pagkamatay, pagkaantala sa kalakalan, at negatibong epekto sa ating ekonomiya, binibigyang diin ng ating panukalang batas ang kahalagahan ng malakas na kapasidad ng ating sistemang pang-kalusugan sa mga komunidad bago pa magkaroon ng isang malawakang krisis," dagdag na pahayag ni Gatchalian.

Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas, ang Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) at ang iba't ibang tanggapan ng Department of Health (DOH), kabilang ang Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, Epidemiology Bureau, Health Emergency Management Bureau, Bureau of Quarantine, Health Promotion and Communication Service, ay mapapasailalim ng panukalang "Center." Ang naturang Center ang magiging pangunahing ahensya sa pagpapatupad ng mga hakbang upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng communicable disease o nakakahawang sakit. Magiging attached agency rin ng DOH ang naturang center.

Maliban sa pagpigil sa pagkalat ng mga nakakahawang mga sakit, magiging saklaw din ng mga tungkulin ng Center ang pananaliksik, pagsulong sa mga programang pang-kalusugan, pagsasagawa ng mga clinical trials, at iba pa. Susuriin din ng Center ang kakayahan ng mga local government units (LGUs) na pigilan ang pagkalat ng mga nakakahawang sakit.

Isinusulong din ni Gatchalian ang pagkakaroon ng National Health Strategy for Disease Prevention na tutugon sa mga hamon tulad ng medical capacity ng mga ospital, pagpapaigting ng impormasyon at teknolohiyang pang-kalusugan, at iba

Magiging bahagi rin ng national health strategy ang institutionalized na integrated disease surveillance and response system kung saan magiging saklaw ang pagpapatatag ng kakayahan sa early detection ng mga pandemya at lokal na kapasidad sa surveillance at response, pati na rin ang epektibong paggamit ng datos ng surveillance.

Isinusulong din ng panukalang batas ang paglikha ng medical reserve corps na bubuuin ng mga volunteer health professionals na maaaring ipatawag sa panahon ng mga krisis pang-kalusugan.