DOH chief continues to defend troop visit

MANILA, Philippines - Acting Health Secretary Janette Garin yesterday continued to defend her visit, without wearing a protective suit, to Caballo Island where Filipino peacekeepers from Liberia are on 21-day quarantine.

Garin admitted she did not wear personal protective equipment (PPE) last Sunday as required in dealing with persons who might have highly infectious and communicable diseases such as Ebola.

She said the PPE is not designed to be worn for a long period since this may put at risk the health of the person wearing it.

“PPE is disposable and can only be worn for 45 minutes because the health worker may already have difficulty breathing,” Garin explained.

She said she and Armed Forces chief Gen. Pio Catapang  met the troops in Caballo for only about 10 minutes and the chances of her getting infected with a deadly virus was highly improbable.

Garin said she consulted the World Health Organization (WHO) before proceeding to Caballo.

“I might have lapses, but in a critical situation like this, I will not do it without consulting the experts,” she claimed.

Garin said she is willing to face the Senate and lecture the lawmakers on the risks of Ebola.

If the senators will allow her, Garin said she will attend the scheduled budget hearing on Monday and will even update them on the latest information and development about the potentially deadly infection.

“Unfortunately, Ebola is a new disease so there are a lot of fears. What we are going to do is to extend a hand and if the Senate will allow us we will give an updated lecture to answer all the fears,” Garin said.

Sens. Francis Escudero and Vicente Sotto III said Garin could wear a protective suit when attending the budget hearing on Monday.

Escudero was responding to a question raised by Sotto about when the budget of the Department of Health (DOH) would be taken up.

Sotto pointed out the practice in the Senate that the department heads would be required to be present when their budgets are being tackled.

“I’ll preempt you (Sotto). If you want her to wear a protective gear to protect us, I will not object. She can always wear protective gear,” Escudero said.

“I’m saying it in jest to emphasize the point that at that stage she should have taken extra precaution and should not have been nonchalant about going there or visiting,” he added.

Sotto, for his part, said he would ask Escudero if he would permit Garin to attend the plenary session on Monday or just reset the hearing of the DOH 21 days later.

Sen. Pia Cayetano, on the other hand, said she would trust in the sound judgment of Garin with regard to the protocols for Ebola.

As a way to avoid catching any diseases in general, Cayetano said she would not shake any more hands or kiss anyone’s cheeks as a form of greeting.

Lack of information

Garin, however, said she would not wear any personal protective equipment when she goes to the Senate hearing on Monday.

Garin said she does not want to become party to the misinformation about Ebola, noting the lack of information about the epidemic that has caused chaos, anxiety and panic among Filipinos.

According to Garin, the need to correct the misinformation was among the primary reasons why she decided to visit the peacekeepers under quarantine in Caballo Island.

Garin said she was also obliged to go to Caballo Island last Sunday to address the looming shortage of PPE for doctors and other personnel attending to the peacekeepers.

Those who are attending to the needs of the peacekeepers were all using PPE even without the need for it, she pointed out.

She stressed the medical personnel must use the PPE only when necessary, such as when a person they are attending to is already manifesting symptoms of the infection like fever, vomiting and diarrhea.

“We only have a limited number of the PPE although we have already ordered additional supplies because the manufacturers are prioritizing orders from countries with recorded Ebola cases. So we were advised to use our supply wisely,” Garin explained.

For his part, Catapang said he will return to Caballo Island and attend to the needs of the quarantined Filipino peacekeepers.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, AFP Public Affairs Office chief, said Catapang’s return to Caballo will always depend on the guidance and approval of the DOH, the key authority on the government’s ongoing efforts to keep the country Ebola-free.

“If it is needed and the DOH approved it, why not if there’s a purpose?” Cabunoc said on Catapang’s possible return to the island.

Cabunoc noted criticisms that Garin and Catapang did not wear any protective gear when they faced the troops in the island.

“It has been already explained by Secretary Garin that there’s no need for the PPE,” Cabunoc said.

Sen. JV Ejercito said what Garin did was a breach of protocol because the quarantine was precisely in place to prevent the possible spread of disease.

“Political stunts like this have no place, because we are dealing with a very serious and deadly virus. So I just hope that next time she practices more prudence and be more cautious in her actions,” Ejercito said. – Marvin Sy, Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Pia Lee-Brago, Jaime Laude, Evelyn Macairan