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Duterte OKs P362-M allocation for genomic biosurveillance
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the allocation of PHP362 million for genomic biosurveillance, which is expected to strengthen the government’s overall coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response.
In a virtual presser on Thursday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the President approved the recommendation during the 51st Cabinet meeting held at Malacañan Palace on Wednesday.
Nograles said genomic biosurveillance is expected to improve efforts to trace close contacts of individuals found positive for the B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant, also known as the United Kingdom (UK) variant.
“With different strains and variants of the Covid-19 virus now emerging, the Department of Health (DOH) will be mobilizing resources and investing in genomic biosurveillance, which will strengthen and improve our overall Covid-19 response as the conduct of whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of the virus will enable us to understand the evolution of the virus across geographical and time scales as well as the impact of specific mutations on viral properties including infectiousness and virulence,” he said.
Citing the DOH, Nograles said genomic surveillance is also critical input for the country’s national vaccine deployment program.
He explained that a better understanding of the virus and its possible mutations will enable the government to implement a more responsive vaccination program, execute other existing health interventions, and prepare for future pandemics.
Earlier, Philippine Genome Center Executive Director Cynthia Salome said the genomic biosurveillance must be strengthened through sequencing of more samples, particularly from areas with recent clusters of infections, incoming travelers, and hospitalized patients to keep track of the changes within the circulating local viral populations.
Genome sequencing is used to check for the presence of Covid-19 variants. It is done by analyzing a sample taken from a diagnosed patient and comparing it with others.
