Barangays are first lines of defense vs. coronavirus

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

More than travel restrictions and strict monitoring of entry points, local government units (LGUs) should focus on organizing barangay health emergency response teams (BHERTs) to serve as the first line of defense against Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

This was the call of Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas’s (OPAV) Assistant Secretary Jonji Gonzales in a press conference on Wednesday.

“Kahit nagbabantay tayo ng ports and passengers, dapat LGUs should focus on organizing their BHERTs kasi sila talaga yung frontline natin against Covid-19,” he stressed.

In Western Visayas, Gonzales said only Bacolod needs to fast track its mobilization of BHERTs.

“Iloilo City, Guimaras, and Antique already completed its BHERTs in their barangays. In Aklan they already organized 271 out of 327; 416 out of 473 in Capiz; and Negros Occidental with 590 out of its 691 barangays. Medyo worried lang ako sa Bacolod because out of 61 barangay, 17 pa lang yung nag-organize,” he said citing the data of the Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Western Visayas (DOH CHD 6).

Gonzales emphasized that LGUs should capacitate their respective BHERTs with the needed skills and equipment.

“Aside from organizing, dapat i-capacitate nila bigyan nila ng tools like handheld thermal scanners para they can do their checking every day,” he said.

Despite this, Gonzales lauded the response and preparations of the LGUs in the region against the Covid-19.

“I am happy. They are well prepared and doing their best to handle the situation,” he said.

Gonzales said he will bring up the concerns and preparations of the region in their upcoming cabinet meeting on February 22, 2020 in Zamboanga.

Meanwhile, DOH-CHD Regional Director Dr. Marlyn Convocar that patients under investigation (PUIs) in the region totaled to 29 with only eight admitted in the hospitals.

According to Convocar, the eight admitted patients are already improving as they await the results of their laboratory tests.

“Eight remain admitted wherein four are from Iloilo province and one in Antique, Bacolod City, Capiz, and Negros Occidental,” she said.