The Department of Health (DOH) is facing a challenge on the lack of health human resources particularly in contact tracing.
According to DOH, more than 90,000 contact tracers are needed to meet the ideal ratio of 1 contact tracer per 800 people.
Contact tracing is significant in preventing the further spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country.
“Kung hindi natin sasabayan ng contact tracing ang ating pagtetest, at hindi natin mate-trace ang bawat taong nakasalamuha ng ating COVID positive patients, hindi natin maaagapan ang pagkalat ng sakit na ito (If we are not going to accompany testing with contact tracing, we cannot trace the people who have interacted with the COVID positive patients, we cannot prevent the spread of the virus),” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire explained.
The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that contact tracing is one of the steps the government needs to improve on.
You need to identify the source of transmission, how this person was infected. You can take precautionary measure to prevent the further transmission. Also you need to do contact tracing when you see suspected cases. So who is exposed to this person?” WHO-WPRO Technical Officer Dr. Takeshi Nishijima pointed out.
According to the Epidemiology Bureau, it is important that the information given to them is complete and uncomplicated so they can effectively perform contact tracing.
DOH ensured that the government is taking action through emergency hiring. There are currently 38,000 contact tracers nationwide.
Report from Mark Fetalco
