Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, July 1, issued Executive Order No. 101-2020 (EO 101) ordering creation of additional Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs).
This, to augment existing teams in carrying out Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) control measures.
The mayor in EO 101 said there should be one BHERT for every 1,000-residents.
Each team is composed of an executive officer; a barangay tanod or purok leader; and, another member who may be a barangay health worker, barangay nutrition action officer or barangay nutrition scholar.
The mayor said the BHERT-to-population ratio is in compliance with the Department of Health Administrative Order No. 2020-0016 issued May 4, 2020, prescribing minimum health system capacity standards for COVID-19 preparedness and response strategies.
In February, Magalong ordered creation of a BHERT for every barangay, with provision for creation of additional BHERTs in barangays with population exceeding 5,000-individuals.
“To comply with the current minimum health capacity standards, there is a need to reorganize the composition of active BHERTs in each barangay unit so that we can effectively maintain and carry out standard preparedness mechanisms against COVID-19”, the mayor in his order said.
He added, BHERTs may be augmented by physicians, nurses, midwives, sanitary inspectors, population officers, Bureau of Fire Protection staff, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office staff or volunteers.
He also directed the Special Services Division of the city mayor’s office to supervise the creation of the teams. PIO A.P.R