Japan donates anti-flu drugs, protective equipment to RP

MANILA, Philippines - The Japanese government on Friday said it will turn over to the Philippine Department of Health (DOH) some 75,000 courses of the anti-viral medicine Tamiflu and personnel protective equipment for some 35,000 people. In a press statement posted on its website, the Japanese Embassy said the turnover is meant to assist the efforts of the Philippines to combat the threats of a pandemic influenza. Stocks of Tamiflu will were scheduled to arrive in Manila via SQ 918 at around 8:40 p.m. Friday, and will be formally handed over by Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura to DOH Sec. Francisco Duque III on Monday. "The prevention and containment of Pandemic Influenza outbreak is a prevailing challenge for the health sector in the East Asian Region. With the increasing global threat of flu pandemic among humans, the Government of Japan, utilizing the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF) and in close coordination with the World Health Organization, has provided the ASEAN with the regional stockpile of 500,000 courses of Tamiflu and PPE for 700,000 people in Singapore in 2006," the embassy said. It added these stockpiles would be dispatched for the purpose of early containment operation in case of influenza outbreak. Aside from this existing Asean region-wide stockpile and per request from the Asean, 500,000 courses of Tamiflu and half of the personnel protective equipment stockpiled in Singapore will be allocated for each Asean member state. This provision of Tamiflu and the personnel protective equipment is expected to help the Philippines enhance its preparedness for the possible outbreak of pandemic influenza. - GMANews.TV