CALOOCAN CITY, Aug. 14 (PIA) -The City Government of Manila has acquired 2,000 vials of Remdesivir which will be used to treat mild, moderate and severe patients of COVID-19 in the nation's capital.
In a joint virtual address on Thursday, August 13, Mayor Francisco 'Isko Moreno' Domagoso and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan announced that the local government has spent P13 million to purchase the vials.
Domagoso said the city government was able to purchase the vials at P6,500 each, lower than its original price of nearly P20,000 each.
The Mayor said the vials will be used to strengthen Manila's efforts to provide better medical treatment for COVID-19 patients confined in the city's six district hospitals.
"Mapalad po tayo na nakuha lang natin ito nang P6,500. Gumastos po ang Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Maynila ng P13 million. Pera niyo po iyon, P13 million na maaaring makapagligtas," Domagoso said.
"Kung saka-sakali kakailanganin pa, bibili pa po tayo, mapangalagaan lang namin kayo, mapataas lang namin ang probabilidad na kapag kayo ay na-infect ng COVID-19, kayo ay mag-recover," the Mayor said.
Domagoso, however, clarified that remdesivir is not a vaccine but merely a life-saving antiviral medication for mild, moderate and severe cases of COVID-19.
“Hindi po ito vaccine pa, doon ay naghanda na tayo ng 200 Million… ito po binili natin na humigit kumulang P13 million lang, pero 'yung probability na lalong maka-recover 'yung ating pasyente ay gaganda, hindi garantiya, pero gaganda," the Mayor said.
Vice Mayor Lacuna-Pangan also stressed that Remdesivir will only be used in hospitals. The medication is not available over-the-counter, she said.
"Sa ospital lang po ito ginagamit, hindi po ito sa bahay ginagamit, para po ito sa atin pong mga pasyente na mayroong mild, moderate or severe na mga sintomas," Lacuna-Pangan said.
"Napapaigsi po nito yung panahon ng pagkakaroon ng sakit, at nababawasan po yung sintomas. Kaya minabuti po ng ating Mayor na lahat po ng anim na ospital natin ay magkaroon na po tayo ng remdesivir nang sa ganon po ay maagapan naman po natin yung ating mga pasyente na very risky yung kanilang sitwasyon," she said.
The purchase of Remdesivir vials is part of the Manila City government's aggressive response efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The antiviral medication has been approved for use at the city's six district hospitals by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration.
Domagoso earlier announced that the city government has already set aside a budget of P200 million for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines once it becomes available and approved by proper health authorities. (Manila PIO/PIA-NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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