Medical experts hold Ebola summit tomorrow

MANILA, Philippines - Medical experts and representatives from government and the private sector will gather tomorrow to discuss the country’s efforts to keep the Ebola virus at bay, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said it was necessary to hold the National Ebola Virus Disease Summit to raise awareness about the disease.

Participants will discuss how to prevent the spread of the disease in case it enters the Philippines.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola virus a “public health emergency of international concern” last August.

The official death toll has reached 3,439 out of a total of 7,492 cases.

In response to this, the DOH had issued the Interim Guidelines on Prevention and Control of Ebola Virus Disease.

The DOH said the guidelines address strategies to prevent or minimize the entry and spread of Ebola in the country, as well as isolation procedures and infection control.

“One of the most important factors in realizing the objective of these guidelines is the preparedness of hospital facilities and readiness to identify isolation procedures for suspected Ebola cases,” a memorandum on the subject said.

The DOH said while the Philippines remains free from the Ebola virus, it should always keep its guard up as cases continue to increase in other countries.

 Former Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman urged government agencies to guard the Philippines against the deadly Ebola virus spreading across West Africa.

He made the appeal following reports of at least one Ebola case in the United States and another in Spain.

He said the DOH and airport authorities should strictly enforce measures to monitor Filipino nationals and tourists who visited or transited through West Africa.