The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 2 and Department of Health (DOH) Region 2 spearheaded a dialogue among concerned agencies and private entities in Region 2 via Zoom to strategize a regional response for the possible surge in the demand of medical-grade oxygen in view of the rising number of COVID-19 patients and the detection of Delta variant in the region.

Dr. Ma. Angelica Taloma emphasized, “As a whole, the region is having a high risk epidemic classification. Our partnership and collaboration will help us battle the pandemic at hand. With the priceless service that we are offering to our patients and the people, this meeting is a big help.”

Giving her full support, Regional Director (RD) Leah Pulido Ocampo stressed in her message, “this meeting is really important because we are to look into the availability of supply and the status of demand for medical grade oxygen, which is a necessity right now, in the region in anticipation of a possible surge of demand for the commodity. We hope that through this, we can have the correct data to know the extent of the supply and demand so that we could come up with a collective strategy as a region to respond with the critical situation right now. We thank DOH for this partnership and we are here to support you [DOH]. We’ll look into the sufficiency of supply of medical grade oxygen at all times and see if their prices are right and if standards are met.”

The surge plan, compliance and accomplishment of the DOH-CVCHD was presented by Dr. Taloma which was supplemented by the presentation of Engr. Nikky Bryan Taguibao on the Current Supply and Demand of Oxygen Tanks/Cylinders in Hospitals. At the moment, Engr. Taguibao reported the sufficiency of supply of medical-oxygen however, if the surge will happen, he said that an additional 3,964 oxygen tanks or cylinders is needed to stabilize the demand.

In relation to Engr. Taguibao’s report, DTI-R2 through Mr. Serafin C. Umoquit presented the data on the current capacity of manufacturers (PS License holders) and distributors of medical grade oxygen in the region including the hospitals they respectively supply.

A total of 93 attendees participated which is composed of delegates from the DTI, DOH, CVCHD, OCD, FDA, chiefs of government and private hospitals, presidents of the Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines (AMHOP), provincial health officers, development management officers of the provinces, and representatives of oxygen plants and distributors. ♦

Date of Release: 03 September 2021