Chinese medical experts arrive to aid PH Covid-19 response

A 12-man team of Chinese doctors and experts arrived in the Philippines on Sunday, April 5, to aid in the country's response to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The team will stay for two weeks to provide technical advice and share firsthand experiences on epidemic prevention and treatment, including practices used in Wuhan.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque stated that the Philippine medical professionals will greatly benefit from the Chinese experts' experience, particularly their best practices in managing COVID-19 patients.

The Chinese experts have already begun sharing advice on medical practices that helped their country increase recovery rates, mentioning Hydroxychloroquine and Favipiravir (Avigan) as potentially effective drugs.

The team will visit hospitals with the Department of Health (DOH) staff to conduct training, but will primarily participate in video conferences to minimize exposure.

Their role is purely advisory, focusing on guiding improvements in surveillance, risk assessment, isolation strategies, testing, clinical case management, and public health measures.