President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the additional fund allocation amounting to ₱362 million for genomic biosurveillance as part of measures against the new Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) variants.
The augmentation approved during the fifty-first Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday will strengthen the country’s efforts in monitoring and responding to new strains.
The Department of Health (DOH) recently sought for more budget from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to sustain the conduct of genomic sequencing by purchasing more sequencing kits and reagents.
“Genomic biosurveillance according to the Department of Health is a critical input for our national vaccine program, as the better understanding of virus and its possible mutations will enable us to (1) implement more responsive vaccination program, (2) implement other health interventions, and (3) respond to future pandemics,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a briefing.
Meanwhile, Nograles reiterated that the first priority in the vaccine rollout are health and medical frontline workers amid questions raised on Cabinet members being administered ahead with the doses to boost people’s confidence.
“Ayaw po naming maakusahan na kami po ay jumping the line o naniningit sa pila. Pero kapag sinabi po na Sirs/Madams, na kailangan niyong mauna to boost public confidence, kami naman po ay willing (We do not want to be accused of jumping the line. But if we are required to do so to boost public confidence, we are willing to do so),” Nograles said. – Report from Mela Lesmoras
