Among APEC delegates, personnel: 140 medical cases recorded

CEBU, Philippines - One week after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings kicked off in Cebu, the Department of Health-7 recorded 140 various health cases involving APEC delegates and field personnel.

Doctor Expedito Medalla, program coordinator of health emergency and management staff at DOH-7, made it clear that all cases reported since August 19 were only “minor” cases.

“All the minor cases were handled immediately and there were no alarming cases,” he said.

A total of 27 cases involved APEC delegates who sustained small wounds, including minor scrapes, cuts or other small injuries from sharp surfaces.

The 113 others were APEC personnel assigned on field who experienced hypertension, upper respiratory tract infection and colds.

There were also 43 other cases, but they involved non-delegates and non-APEC personnel who were also extended assistance after suffering the same injuries in the hotel venues.

Ethel Natera, Cebu provincial information officer, said they have not received reports on health issues among the delegates and the local field personnel.

In fact, she said the ongoing ministerial meeting is relatively peaceful, quoting Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas, chief of the directorial staff of the Police Regional Office-7.

“Health is under the security cluster and we have zero incidents so far,” she said.

Natera stressed that such minor incidents cannot be attributed to APEC.

“It has nothing to do with the APEC meetings and cannot be blamed for the event,” she said.

She added that “sick” personnel will not be forced to work, assuring that the event’s security will not be jeopardized or crippled.

“If the personnel are sick, we can’t force them to work. There is a contingency plan in place for every aspect of the hosting, including personnel needed,” she said.

Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak, chairman of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said at least nine of their personnel were advised to get rest after experiencing flu, as part of the protocol on emergency medical service ambulance.

“Ang atong ubang personnel nagka-flu due to weather mao na they were advised for rest. Pag maayo na, balik na sila og duty,” he said.

Cebu City has dispatched 55 quick response personnel and 85 paramedics, mostly assigned to non-delegates within APEC areas.

To secure at least 3,200 delegates, an estimated of 2,800 policemen from Bohol, Negros, Siquijor, and the Regional Public Safety Battalion-7, were deployed to Cebu to serve as augmentation force for the APEC meetings. Around 1,800 of them were deployed in Cebu City.

Further, Medalla said they deployed medical teams, ambulances, and other rescue vehicles at the APEC venues and other strategic areas in Cebu, including Radisson Blu Hotel and Marco Polo Plaza in Cebu City and Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa in Lapu-Lapu City.

The APEC medical responders including paramedics, emergency medical technicians, first responders and other professionals working in hospitals are all well-trained professionals.

He said medicines are available at these areas and some along the venues’ routes.

The medical and security teams will stay until September 13 to ensure that all delegates will depart in good health.

Cebu is hosting the third Senior Officials’ meeting and related gatherings from August 24 to September 8 and the Finance and Structural Reforms ministerial meetings from September 9 to 13. In October, Cebu will also host the Transportation and Energy ministerial meetings. — /BRP (FREEMAN)