Image via Wikipedia06/28/2009 | 12:58 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The Catholic Church is considering suspending Masses should the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus become worse in the Philippines – as a "last resort."
But Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, along with some priests and parishioners, thinks the proposal unnecessary, according to Mariz Umali in her GMA Weekend Report aired on Sunday, shortly after midnight.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines made the announcement through Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Yñiguez.
However, suspending Masses would be a "drastic measure," Yñiguez stressed in an interview with GMA's Lala Roque.
"We will have to evaluate that [the situation]... lalo na yang misa, yan ang pinakamahalagang gawaiin natin bilang mga Katoliko [especially since the Mass is our most impontant activity as Catholics]," Yñiguez said.
In response, Duque said: "Walang gumagawa ng ganoon sa ibang bansa, kahit na yung mataas ang kanilang kaso. Kasi mild lang ito. Wala tayong problema dito kasi mild cases lang 'to. Hindi kailangan pahintuin ang pagmimisa ng mga tao."
[No other country has done that, not even those with a high incidence of flu. This is a mild flu. We don't have a problem here because our cases are mild. There's no need to stop people from going to Mass.]
Fr. Ed Guarin of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Quezon City echoed the same sentiment, saying that most of the people in his church did not mind holding hands while singing "Our Father" because they were acquainted with each other.
Earlier this month, the Church modified mass services, disallowing hand-to-mouth communion and holding hands while singing the Our Father. But these traditional practices have returned in some churches.
Earlier on Saturday, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to organize quick reaction teams and mobile testing facilities for deployment to areas affected by the A(H1N1) virus. But health officials contacted by GMANews were caught by surprise by the directive and implied that it was impractical and unnecessary.
An official, who is involved in controlling the spread of the virus and requested anonymity, said that there's no need to deploy mobile clinics in Metro Manila because there are already many hospitals in the city.
"The principle behind the directive is just to make sure that treatment is available wherever and whenever it is needed. So maybe we can still to find ways to implement the directive in a more practical way," she said. The official suggested that they just have to ensure that their response teams are really working at the local levels.
"Kaya naman kasi gamutin ang mild cases ng A(H1N1) virus ng mga rural clinics and hospitals [Rural clinics and hospitals can cure the mild cases of the A(H1N1) virus]," Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde said in an interview with GMANews.TV.
As of Friday, the DOH said that there have been 861 confirmed cases as of A(H1N1) in the country. Villaverde, however, said that this "overwhelming" number of A(H1N1) cases are easily treated and do not need to be managed in a hospital setting.
Arroyo also ordered the DOH to prepare "well-equipped isolation wards" in state-run facilities. But Villaverde said most hospitals already have such rooms.
"I think all hospitals have assigned rooms, and there's no special equipment needed for A(H1N1) but oxygen tanks," said the undersecretary.
The other official was, however, quick to mention that the DOH has yet to settle all the matters regarding the implementation of the directive.
"I don't know if a dialogue transpired between Malacañang and Secretary Duque but I guess the Palace gave the directive because they think these are the best options," she said.
For the quick response teams, the President ordered the DOH tap from the pool of "still-to-be-employed" nurses, and organize information and education teams about A(H1N1). Excerpts the directive were read by Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, who is with Arroyo in Hong Kong, on government-run dzRB radio Saturday.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was not immediately available for comment but he will be holding a command conference with the regional directors of the DOH to discuss the additional proposed measures against the A(H1N1) virus on Tuesday.
The DOH was also ordered to place the A(H1N1) alert level in the country at the alert level of the World Health Organization "for increased alertness and preparedness."
Arroyo issued the directives as three more schools were added to the list of educational institutions confirmed to have cases of the A(H1N1) virus in the country, upping the previous tally to 43 Philippine schools with at least 154 swine flu cases. - GMANews.TV
From GMANews.tv; see the source article here.
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