ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas is encouraging the public to regard the Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) as “BHERT-friend” by providing them with complete and truthful information during their visit pertaining to contact tracing.
Dr. Marlyn Convocar, DOH-6 regional director, said the department has continuously recognized the important role of BHERTs in helping defeat the pandemic due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“BHERTs serve as the first line of support of close contacts, suspect, probable, and confirmed COVID-19 patients in the community,” she said.
Convocar added that they assist local epidemiology and surveillance units and the contact tracing teams to conduct contact tracing activities for those who tested positive for COVID-19.
“The accuracy of details and information provided to the BHERTs by traced individuals is vital in the government’s efforts to halt the further spread of the virus that causes the infection,” she said.
According to her, the role of BHERTs, at this time of pandemic, is stipulated in the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular 2020-018 dated Jan. 31, 2020.
Since the start of the pandemic, BHERTs has been conducting visits in the home of every arriving person from a COVID-affected area and immediately list down the person/s whom they came in contact with prior to their arrival in their residence.
The BHERTs also conduct temperature checks daily for the duration of the 14-day quarantine period and they are also the “go-to” persons for information and referral once a suspect, probable, or confirmed case develops signs and symptoms.
The DOH has been closely coordinating with the DILG and the local government units to ensure that BHERTs are equipped, visible and accessible in the community.
Convocar added that the public is encouraged to coordinate with their LGUs to know the BHERTs personnel in their area. (With a report from PIA/PN)
