The Department of Health (DOH) today reported that 143 health emergency response teams are stationed in major event venues and are ready to respond to any emergency situation during  the biennial Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on November 30 to December 11.

The SEA Games will gather around 10,960 athletes and team officials and about 2,800 organizing personnel. To cater to the large number of delegates, health emergency response teams were mobilized in major event venues at New Clark City Sports Complex (56 teams), Subic Bay Freeport (32 teams), Metro Manila (32 teams), Southern Luzon (21 teams) and La Union (2 teams).

“This is the fourth time the Philippines will be hosting the Southeast Asian Games participated in by 11 member nations,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said, adding that the DOH regional task forces for health emergency response are ready for deployment come November 30.

Code White Alert has been raised by the DOH in its hospitals in the regions of Ilocos, Central Luzon, MiMaRoPa, and the National Capital Region (NCR) since November 25 until December 12.

Apart from DOH Hospitals in NCR and other regions in Luzon, other public health facilities such as those under local government units, and other agencies like the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and Bureau of Fire Protection, as well as private hospitals will form part of the health emergency response team.

“Rest assured that the DOH medical teams are ready to assist in case of any emergency but we are still hoping for a disaster-free and injury-free competition,” Duque concluded.