DOH's Herbosa: Mpox testing free in gov't hospitals

Suspected cases of mpox may avail of testing services in government hospitals for free “as of now” to confirm whether they have the monkeypox virus or not, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday. 

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa made the affirmation when asked by House Deputy Majority Leader and former Health Secretary Janette Garin during the House Committee on Appropriations’ hearing on the proposed budget of DOH for next year.

“In this new war, although this is milder than COVID, ‘yung mata natin para makita ‘yung kalaban natin, and that is testing, ay nilalagay sa mga gobyernong ospital at binibigay nang libre ng Department of Health at ng BBM administration [there are tests available in government hospitals given for free by DOH and the administration]. Can you confirm that?” Garin asked the current DOH chief.

“I confirm, Madam Chair,” Herbosa answered. 

He, however, said that the Philippines may lack supply of test kits for mpox soon. He also said he has tasked the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to come up with a benefit package for members who want to get tested. 

“I’ve asked PhilHealth to actually create already a benefit package for mpox testing because we will run out of the test kits pretty soon and we’ll have to procure additional test kits,” Herbosa said. 

Hospitals that can gather complete case data and specimens for confirmation of mpox include Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, San Lazaro Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, and the UP-Philippine General Hospital, among others.

On Sunday, the DOH announced that there are now eight active mpox cases in the country as three additional cases were detected. The total mpox caseload in the Philippines is now at 17 since July 2022.

Herbosa also clarified that a person will not automatically get mpox if s/he touches an infected individual. 

“Higher risk kapag longer ang exposure and more intimate ‘yung skin-to-skin contact,” he told the House panel 

(You’ll be at more risk if you have longer exposure and have intimate skin-to-skin contact.) 

“But also ang advisory namin is frequent handwashing. So kapag may na-touch ka at hindi ka sure, just wash your hands and the mpox virus is actually deactivated by soap and water,” he added. 

(We also advise frequent handwashing. So when you touch something/someone and you are not sure, just wash your hands and the mpox virus will actually get deactivated by soap and water.) 

Anyone can get mpox, according to DOH, and the virus can be transmitted to humans through close and intimate contact with someone who is infectious, through contaminated materials like used clothes or utensils, or through infected animals. 

The public were advised to use soap and water to kill the virus, and to use gloves when washing contaminated materials. 

For fiscal year 2025, the proposed DOH-wide budget is at P303.6 billion. Of which, 73.4% will go to the programs under the Office of the Secretary, amounting to P222.8 billion. 

Meanwhile, DOH’s attached corporations will get P80.4 billion (26.5%), and the remaining P371 million (0.1%) will go to DOH’s attached agencies. —KBK, GMA Integrated News