DOH orders hospitals to monitor kidney consultations

MANILA, Philippines – Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has ordered government hospitals to check whether children who have kidney ailments were exposed to contaminated milk products from China.

At the same time, Malacañang warned traders and importers they will be sanctioned if they violate the ban imposed on milk and milk products from China.

Dr. Eric Tayag, Department of Health’s (DOH) chief epidemiologist, said the monitoring of hospitalized children with kidney ailments is being implemented as a “precautionary measure,” in the wake of a scare over infant formula contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine.

“What Secretary Duque instructed us to do was to trace back exposure of infants and young children with kidney stones to milk,” Tayag said.

He noted that a child would have to drink up to 500 milliliters (ml) of melamine-laced milk a day to develop kidney stones. An adult, on the other hand, has to consume some 15 cups a day.

Tayag explained that children are more prone to fall ill primarily because milk is their main source of food.

The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAP) also issued similar directives to its members to determine if the toxic melamine substance in some China milk products has affected babies and children here.

PHAP president Dr. Rustico Jimenez said so far, there was no report yet of any infant getting kidney ailment from contaminated milk.

“We want to be vigilant about this. This incident shows that breast milk is really the best for babies,” he added.

Earlier, Duque ordered a ban on the importation, distribution, and sale of milk products from China. The ban covers milk products that have been repackaged “without indicating their sources of origin.”

“All such packages without the appropriate seals and approvals from the Department of Trade and Industry and the BFAD shall be considered as contraband products,” Duque stated in his memorandum order.

Three milk products – San Lu, Yili and Mengniu – were found to contain melamine after at least four infants died and 6,000 others were hospitalized in China due to kidney stone ailments.

Of these labels, Yili and Mengniu are registered in the Philippines, but these are only for adult, not infant milk.

BFAD director Prof. Leticia Gutierrez said the bureau might come out with the results of laboratory tests of infant milk in the next two years.

“We are validating the methodology that we’re going to use in testing the samples. It will take time, but we hope to come out with the results soon,” she added.

Ban justified

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the ban on China milk products was justified under the Consumer Act of 1999 which gives the DOH, through the BFAD, the power to “recall, prohibit and seize the sale or distribution of products found to be injurious, unsafe and dangerous.”

He said the DOH may declare concerned products as “imminently dangerous and order a recall, ban or seize them.”

He said the Bureau of Customs has also been ordered to seize such products from China and submit it to the BFAD for testing.

“If there are importers who violate a provision of the Consumer Act, there are punishments for their actions, among others the cancellation of license of importer so they cannot practice the trade of importing food from outside,” Ermita said.

He said the Palace is also tapping the help of local government units while Secretary Peter Favilahas been directed to coordinate with various trade associations to prevent the entry of such products from China.

Although the government said that the Chinese company involved in the contamination does not export milk products to the Philippines, officials conceded that such products could be smuggled into the country and sold in markets without labels.

Authorities step up monitoring

The Department of Trade and Industry office in Zamboanga City widened its monitoring of the sale of China-made milk and other dairy brands.

DTI city officer Rolando Acuña said the monitoring would not only concentrate on milk products, but also other products from China that may contain melamine.

Acuña said they are awaiting other lists of food which may contain melamine.

Melamine is normally used to make plastics but had been added to boost the protein content of milk and other food products such as ice cream and yogurt.

City port officials said tight surveillance and monitoring of products are being conducted in Zamboanga because the city has remained a dumping ground of barter goods from abroad, including China.

The Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group has been assisting in the surveillance of shipments of products from the neighboring countries at ports and private wharves.

In Muntinlupa City, local authorities urged residents to report milk products that may have melamine and are sold in the city’s sari-sari stores, markets, and supermarkets.

Citing the BFAD advisory on the ban on China milk products, Muntinlupa Mayor Aldrin San Pedro said while there is no registered infant formula produced and imported from China in the Philippines, the public should be cautious and refrain from buying milk products from that country.

In Pangasinan, the DTI reported that mall owners have voluntarily withdrawn China-made milk products from their shelves.

Marjorie Loresco said the big malls like CSI, Nepo Mall, Robinsons, and BHF are no longer selling milk from China.

Yesterday, the Manila police also inspected several malls in Divisoria, specifically retail stores selling foodstuff imported from China, after the Philippines joined other countries in the ban on the importation and sale of milk products from that country.

“We are here not to make arrest or seizure, but to monitor whether the stores are selling the banned foodstuff,” said Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales, who personally led the inspection team, accompanied by barangay chairmen Vic Tan and Anthony Gonzalo.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has ordered the inspection of all milk products being sold in Divisoria and Binondo.

Rosales found two stalls at 168 Mall selling bottled milk imported from China. However, Rosales admitted the police are not in a position to tell whether the milk products contain the toxic melamine substance.

He said he would make a report to the BFAD to subject the milk products to analysis.

Police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut instructed his men to conduct daily inspection of Divisoria stores to prevent the proliferation of China-made food.

Yabut said vendors have refrained from selling repacked milk following the news of tainted milk from China. – With Paolo Romeo, Rhodina Villanueva, Roel Pareño, Eva Visperas, Nestor Etolle