Netizens are calling out Department of Health (DOH) for their inconsistent protocols when it comes to testing COVID-19 cases.
On Twitter, netizen @rryyyaaaannnn slammed the government for allowing politicians and their relatives get tested despite the limited stocks of test kits while ordinary citizens were just advised to go home and do self-quarantine.
The government can test relatives of politicians from Covid-19 but they can’t even do the same to the frontliners who are risking their lives, dealing personally and face-to-face with the virus and the suspected and vulnerable who are just advised to go home & self-quarantine. 🤦🏻♂️
— Ryan (@rryyyaaaannnn) March 17, 2020
In another Twitter thread by @yesnothatthis, he also called out DOH’s inconsistent policy in testing.
While many patients were not tested after failing the guidelines on the testing protocol, there were high government officials who were given the special treatment and got tested.
Clarifying, we're not against the idea of suspected asymptomatic people being tested. Ideally ganon naman talaga eh.
Pero ilagay naman kasi sa context na WE ARE SHORT ON TESTING KITS (kaya nga may algorithm ngayon for testing ang DOH diba?). Bakit kailangan kayong unahin?
— janno (@yesnothatthis) March 17, 2020
Dahil senador kayo? Dahil kamag-anak kayo ng kung sinong demonyo diyan?
Sa tingin niyo mas kailangan niyo kesa sa mga pasyenteng may sintomas, sa mga health workers na harapang kinakalaban yung virus?
Aba, napakaimportante niyo pala. Sana naaayon sa ayos ng trabaho no?
— janno (@yesnothatthis) March 17, 2020
DOH: exposure occurred before we revised our decision tools, hence they are classified as PUIs and needed to be tested
And the many others who were exposed in other settings during that time pero asymptomatic? PUIs din ba? Natest na rin ba?
Try again.https://t.co/VCZoF8gDj5
— janno (@yesnothatthis) March 17, 2020
Same sentiments where echoed in a Facebook post by Chronicles of M.D.
In the Facebook post, the author lamented over some politician’s gall to cut through the protocol and get tested with limited kits available even if they are asymptomatic.
“Even if I am disheartened to know that there are areas in the country experiencing much tougher breaks: Improvising PPEs, or Not using PPEs anymore (kasi wala na nga!), unable to transport test samples, free food being intercepted by the admin office (grabe! Kapal mhen…), colleagues in critical conditions (😭🙏🏻), walking to/from the hospital since public transport was shut down and LIMITED SUPPLY OF TESTING KITS.
LIMITED TESTING KITS.
LIMITED TESTING KITS.”
A”nd these so called ‘leaders’ have the audacity to use these limited resources, Not follow protocols and rub it all over our faces! Pa-media pa more!!!
“This is the worst time to be selfish! This is the Best time to TRULY serve your people!
Utang na loob.”
She also shared the story of another doctor who’s also a COVID-19 PUI who wasn’t tested for the disease because of lack of testing kits.
https://www.facebook.com/chroniclesofMD/photos/a.342681235900814/1199479560220973/?type=3&theater
Their sentiments were also shared by another doctor we interviewed who chose not to be named.
In an interview with LionhearTV via Twitter DM, he said it’s frustrating to see how this crisis is unfolding.
From the lack of testing kits, to health workers’ transportation problem which contributed to their physical and mental stress and breaking of protocols in testing patients, it’s really overwhelming.
“Overwhelmed, especially in Luzon. Kulang na kulang ang mga PPE sa govt hospitals. Halatang hindi prepared ang DOH dito. Maybe they were expecting na hindi tayo tatamaan? I don’t know,” he said.
“Ang complain ng sa RITM is mabagal ang labas ng results and nadedelay ang test kasi ang daming VIP na siningit ipa test. Kahit di naman kailangan,” he added.
The DOH, meanwhile, explained the change in protocol which led to accommodating politicians and their families despite being asymptomatic.
“Nung mangyari ang mga test na ito, especially ‘yung sa ating higher officials, hindi pa natin na-revise ‘yung decision tool natin,” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
Vergeire said those politician were supposedly exposed to COVID-19 before the tool was revised. making them qualified for the test.
“So they are under the criteria of PUI (patients under investigation),” she said.
Currently, DOH has already reported 202 positive cases of COVID-19 in the country with 17 deaths and 7 recoveries.
