A group of health professionals and workers said that what the country needs is a “demilitarized medical quarantine” as the healthcare system suffers due to the spike in the number of coronavirus cases.

While President Rodrigo Duterte has answered the plea of over 80 medical groups to shift to a stricter quarantine, the group Second Opinion PH said doctors and health care workers must reclaim quarantine for what it should be: “a public health measure aimed at saving lives by stopping the spread of disease.”

Second Opinion PH is an independent initiative of a group of health professionals, health workers, and health students with advocacies in public health, community medicine, and social justice. It was created last April by several doctors and nurses working in different hospitals in the Philippines such as Dr Gene Nisperos, an assistant professor at the University of the Philippines-Manila, and Sean Velchez, nurse of the Philippine Orthopedic Center.

“We join our colleagues in the urgent, real, and valid demand for a ‘time out’ amid the rising tide of COVID-19 cases. However, we advise against reverting back to any Duterte-style enhanced community quarantine or lockdown,” Second Opinion said.

Dr Nisperos, one of the founders of Second Opinion PH, said the current measures in place show how the pandemic response was reduced to an issue of discipline.

He added that instead of implementing health and medical solutions, the laws and measures that were passed only placed “more power and control for the state security forces.”

Second Opinion PH called instead for a medical quarantine, led by health professionals, as Metro Manila and surrounding areas go back to modified enhanced community quarantine starting Tuesday evening, August 4.

Six-point action plan

In solidarity with their medical colleagues, Second Opinion PH proposed a 6-point action plan for the quarantine.

 “We must reject the distorted forms of ‘community quarantine’ being imposed on us, as these are devoid of scientific sense and health purpose, and serve only to oppress our people…To honor our fallen colleagues is to demand a radical shift from the present blundering response to a scientific, public health, and pro-people response,” they said.

They suggested the following:

1. Leadership: Removal of Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque, together with other generals and “czars”leading the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF). They can be replaced with “team players from health and related fields” who will undertake a unified plan of action.
2. Human resources: “Active and aggressive” recruitment process for health workers that offers better pay, work conditions, and protection. Second Opinion PH estimates the needed recruitment of 10,000 doctors, and 20,000 nurses and other healthcare workers
3. Health financing: Allocation of an initial amount of P90 billion to fund health workers, COVID-related infrastructure and equipment, and community measures, especially for national and local government interventions
4. Service delivery: Ensuring continuity of care from primary and tertiary levels, between public and private health facilities, and of services for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients during the pandemic
5. Health technologies: Enhance capacities in testing, tracing, isolation, and treatment at the institutional and community level. Utilize appropriate health technologies in preventive and public health measures
6. Health information: Improve COVID-19 data processing and management through full disclosure and depoliticization

Second Opinion PH said the plan will “put us in a better footing to protect our health workers as they try to save more lives.”

The steps will also allow “room for health workers to gather themselves, breathe, and be reinvigorated even as more long-term interventions are being put in place.”

Second Opinion PH is currently accepting signatories to show more support to their 6-point action plan. It so far has over 190 signatories. Those wishing to support their call may message their Facebook page. – with reports from Khaela C. Vijar/Rappler.com