BEIJING, China, Nov 13 — President Benigno S. Aquino III said the Philippines will send medical resources in support of the global effort to help nations overwhelmed by the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
President Aquino conveyed this Tuesday evening during a chat with Manila-based reporters covering his participation at the 22nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit here.
“Talagang severe ‘yung pressures on the health systems of the countries in West Africa, and America, Japan, China, etc. (are) all sending people to assist people, resources, etc. Tayo naman palagay ko, we will just send resources—medical kits, medical supplies, and so on and so forth,” the President said.
World leaders who attended the APEC Summit made a commitment to tackle pandemic diseases, terrorism, natural disasters, climate change, and other global challenges, as stated in paragraph 45 of the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Declaration.
“In confronting the current Ebola Virus Disease epidemic, we are determined to intensify our cooperation and work shoulder to shoulder with African nations to help them effectively end this epidemic and prevent, detect, manage, and respond to future outbreaks,” the APEC leaders stated in the declaration.
President Aquino said his counterparts talked in passing about the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, thinking of ways to contain an epidemic of these diseases.
“So ‘yung emphasis on Ebola is it’s a very serious problem. It needs coordinated action throughout the world. And, ‘yun na nga, (the fact that) may formal and public commitments to do something about it now is, I guess, the biggest takeaway there, especially from those that have the most resources and most knowledge to deal with something like this,” he explained.
President Aquino further mentioned the need to have government procedures against Ebola in place, especially in time for the return of Filipino peacekeepers from Liberia, which was among the heavily affected areas.
“Naninigurado tayo na (maayos) ‘yung proseso ng BID (Bureau of Immigration and Deportation). For instance, paano ba ‘yung screening? ‘Yung screening, manganganak din ‘yon; mag-aapela tayo to the general public: ‘Baka may kamag-anak kayo na nandiyan, may kaibigan kayo—hindi joke ito—baka lang exposed diyan. Danger sa inyo iyan; danger sa buong community,” he said.
More than 5,000 people have reportedly died from the Ebola fever, out of 13,592 confirmed cases in eight affected nations — Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria, Mali, Spain, and APEC-member economy, the United States. (PCOO/PND)
