Press Release - Tulfo grills DOH over snakebite, rabies issue

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Health yesterday, Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo berated Department of Health (DOH) Usec. Achilles Bravo for the agency's negligence and lack of concern for Filipinos, especially youth, who die from venomous snakebites and rabies from dogs.

It can be recalled that on May 6, 2024 Tulfo also slammed DOH due to the lack of supply of antivenom in the country especially in remote areas in the provinces.

When asked about the same concern, Bravo insisted that Tulfo should ask the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) about it and not him, which earned the ire of the Senator saying that RITM is under the supervision of the DOH.

Tulfo expressed dismay because it appers that DOH is not closely coordinating and monitoring RITM, which the agency is supposed to supervise, and that Bravo is not one to care.

The Senator is particularly alarmed at the increasing mortality rate of snakebites and rabies victims, which he believes could have been preventend and cured if only the DOH did its job.

In discussing the issue, Tulfo cited the case of Rex Lumayag, a 17 year old who was bitten by a King Cobra in September 2023 in Davao. He died 8 days later at the Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC). According to his family member, Lumayag was not injected with anti-venom due to supposed lack of supply.

Due to Bravo's failure to answer his questions, Tulfo requested for the Committee to invite RITM representative for the next hearing.

Sa hearing ng Senate Committee on Health kahapon, nakatikim ng sermon mula kay Sen. Idol Raffy Tulfo si Department of Health (DOH) Usec. Achilles Bravo matapos nitong maghugas-kamay sa lantarang kapabayaan ng ahensya ukol sa daan-daang Pilipino, partikular na ang mga kabataan, na namamatay kada taon dahil sa tuklaw ng ahas at rabies mula sa kagat ng mga aso.

Matatandaang May 6, 2024 nang kalampagin ni Idol Raffy ang DOH dahil sa kakulangan ng supply ng antivenom sa bansa lalo na sa mga liblib na lugar sa mga probinsya.

Bwelta ni Bravo, ang Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) raw ang dapat tanungin ni Sen. Idol at hindi siya. Ito ay kahit nasa ilalim ng pangangasiwa ng DOH ang RITM.

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