In a media briefing on Easter Sunday, Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said COVID-19 patients are now required to disclose personal information to enhance contact tracing efforts.
“Para po matulungan ang contact tracing efforts ng ating pamahalaan, mandatory o required na po ang paglalahad ng personal na impormasyon pagdating sa ating mga COVID-19 cases,” Nograles said.
Contact tracing, which the Office of Civil Defense is now in charge of, has proved to be the most laborious task for the government since the start of COVID-19 transmissions in the country with some patients are reportedly putting healthcare workers at risk by concealing their medical and travel history.
Earlier, doctors and lawyers urged COVID-19 patients who tested positive to waive the confidentiality of medical conditions to facilitate timely contact tracing.
IATF assured the public that the disclosures are in accordance with Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
On Apr. 6, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) issued a statement regarding the calls for patients to waive privacy rights and to publicly disclose health status.
“With respect to sharing medical information of individuals to private health institutions, the Health department would be in the best position to determine if such is consistent with the provisions of RA 11332 and other applicable protocols in a pandemic,” the commission said.
Republic Act No. 11332 (An Act Providing Policies and Prescribing Procedures on Surveillance and Response to Notifiable Diseases, Epidemics, and Health Events of Public Health Concern) mandates patients, PUIs, and PUMs to be fully transparent and truthful to the Department of Health, hospitals and other pertinent public authority on the personal data (travel and medical history, etc.) requested from them. Such information will be material for health and local institutions to treat them and/or properly contain the spread of the infectious disease in a timely manner, the NPC explained.
Header photo courtesy of Mark Alvic Esplana/Inquirer.net
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Writer: CHRISTIAN SAN JOSE
