The discussions sought to prepare the various industries for a pandemic and ensure continuity in their operations, particularly those that belong to vital sectors when there are health emergencies.
The Department of Health (DOH) as well as pharmaceutical companies shared their contingency plans with the participants in a bid to raise awareness on how to prevent the spread of the Influenza A(H1N1) in work places.
“The pharmaceutical industry realizes its need to continue with its operations particularly in a pandemic setting. We have pandemic preparedness plans in place and we want these shared with other vital industries during health crises,” said PHAPCares President and CEO Reiner W. Gloor. “Despite health threats, it should be public service as usual.”
PHAPCares Foundation Executive Director Glecy Cuenco announced that in addition to the roundtable discussions, they have also taken the lead in the Influenza A(H1N1) public aware President Arroyo herself handed 500 medicine and multivitamin packs from the PHAPCares Foundation to students of the Geronimo Santiago Elementary School in Manila as part of the government’s “Influenza A (H1N1) Prevention Awareness Campaign.”
The PHAPCares Foundation was also in-charge of disseminating Influenza A(H1N1) information materials for distribution to private offices, schools, hospitals, and other public places.
“Beyond medicines, we have embarked on a public information campaign to thwart the spread of A (H1N1) particularly among the vulnerable. The children, pregnant and the elderly were at risk and so we took immediate action,” said Cuenco.
The WHO declared a global pandemic in June 2009 where a total of 74 countries and territories, including the Philippines, had reported laboratory confirmed infections. To date, most countries have reported confirmed infections from the novel virus.
