Public urged to report clandestine COVID-19 clinics
THE Department of Health (DoH) on Sunday urged the public to report unlicensed clinics that treat foreigners infected with the novel coronavirus.
In a statement, the agency said treatment should only be sought from licensed health facilities and physicians who give medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
“Doing otherwise might result in harm,” DoH said. “While we have not received any reports about clandestine hospitals for Filipino patients, we encourage everyone to report these unlicensed facilities because they endanger our health,” it added.
The Health department said it was coordinating with the authorities about the clandestine facilities, while contact tracing continues.
Police raided an underground medical facility in Pampanga and Makati last month catering mostly to Chinese nationals.
The Bureau of Immigration placed two Chinese nationals on the alert list for operating the underground hospital at the villa in Fontana Leisure Park in Clark Freeport.
They will not be allowed to leave and will be referred to the bureau’s intelligence and legal divisions if encountered in the airport. They were arrested in the raid but were released without being charged.
Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra has said he would order the National Bureau of Investigation and Immigration bureau to find illegal clinics in the country. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
