Mangyayari ngayong Mayo hanggang Hunyo 2020 ang serye ng mga libreng online seminar-palihan ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino para sa mga editor ng teksbuk sa Filipino.
Tatalakayin sa mga editor ang mga nilalaman ng Ortograpiyang Pambansa (OP) at KWF Manwal sa Masinop na Pagsulat (MMP) na inilathala bilang isang KWF Aklat ng Bayan.
Naglalaman ang OP ng mga tuntunin sa pagbaybay sa wikang Filipino habang nagsisilbing patnubay sa masinop at maayos na pagsulat ang MMP para sa mga editor, guro, at mag-aaral.
Ilan sa mga nilalaman ng mga module ang talakay hinggil sa Alpabetong Filipino, kambal-patinig, reispeling, paggamit ng bantas at tuldik, at iba pa.
Matapos ang mga module, magkakaroon din ng inter-aksiyon ang mga editor sa mga nangangasiwa ng seminar-palihan upang mapayaman pa ang kanilang pagkatuto.
Bahagi ito ng serbisyo ng KWF sa mga editor at iba pang propesyonal na katuwang ng natatanging ahensiyang pangwika ng pamahalaan sa pagpapalaganap ng wasto at modernong Filipino sa sistemang edukasyon.
Hinihimok ng ahensiya na magpadala ng mga kinatawan ang lahat ng mga publisher ng teksbuk, lalo na ang mga nasa iba’t ibang lalawigan ng Filipinas.
Kinakailangan lamang magpadala ng email na may pangalan at kinabibilangang publishing house ang mga interesadong publisher at kanilang editor sa rrscagalingan@gmail.com.
Tatanggap ang KWF ng mga aplikasyon hanggang 15 Mayo 2020.

UPM studies ethical implications of COVID-19 to healthcare services

With the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country, a study from the University of the Philippines Manila predicts that the worst case scenario for the healthcare system is the surge of patients exceeding available healthcare resources to the extent that “critical care may have to be rationed.” This brings about issues on the standard of care provided to patients leading to ethical implications. To address this, a research team led by Mr. Peter Sy of the University of the Philippines Manila came out with the “Ethics Guidelines on COVID-19 Crisis-Level Hospital Care,” a document healthcare providers may adapt and adjust according to their institution’s needs during the pandemic.

Last 13 April 2020, the University of the Philippines Manila held an online conference which served as a venue for the project team and healthcare stakeholders to discuss the guidelines, how it can help the healthcare providers, and what improvements can be made to the document.

Dr. Belle Siasoco, a co-investigator of the project, cited five ethical elements considered in the creation of the guidelines, namely procedural fairness, urgency, duty to care, equity, and to minimize harm. The document aims to help healthcare providers answer the question, “How should decision-makers balance between saving as many lives as possible or relieving as much pain and suffering as possible, on the one hand, and, on the other, aiming for the best possible quality of life as well as as seeing through the cases of patients they have come to care for?”

The “Ethics Guidelines on COVID-19 Crisis-Level Hospital Care” contains the following sections:
● Principles- Elaborates the ethical elements in which the rest of the document is based from.
● Admission triage- Provides guidelines on patient admission and the type of care to be provided to the patient
● Communication of care- Focuses on ensuring communication of care to the patients’ families
● Therapeutic interventions- Provides guidelines on the use of available alternative therapeutic interventions for treatment
● ICU allocation- Provides guidelines on patient admission to the ICU and its processes
● Care for non-COVID-19 patients- Provides guidelines on providing care for non-COVID-19 patients
● Information management- Elaborates on the information healthcare providers may attain and discloses
● Research- Provides guidelines on conducting research in time of the pandemic
● Personnel rights and obligations- Provides guidelines on healthcare worker rights and obligations
● Working committees- Elaborates tasks of committees within hospitals and the establishment of the patient liaison committee
● Post mortem care- Provides guidelines on post-mortem care of suspected and confirmed COVID-19 case

Some features of the document include the establishment of the patient liaison committee and provision of alternatives such as palliative care to the patients. The patient liaison committee will be the authorized body to decide “on withholding or withdrawing ventilator support for any given case, based primarily on the criteria-based assessments of the attending physicians.” Once a patient cannot be provided ventilator support according to the criteria set by the committee, the patient may opt for palliative care. It was also pointed out that engagement with the family of the patient must also be a priority for crisis-level healthcare.

The document will undergo further revisions based on the discussion during the recent online conference. To read the latest version of the guidelines, visit this link: http://ethicists.org/latest-covid-ethics.pdf
To watch a replay of the online conference, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTB1wFMnQDw
(DOST-PCHRD S&T Media Service)

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DOST Balik Scientist leads the fight against COVID-19 in a hospital setting

Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD) Balik Scientist Program (BSP) Awardee, Dr. Adrian Joseph Buensalido is one of the many inspiring doctors serving as a frontline worker in the country’s battle against COVID-19. As an infectious disease and internal medicine specialist, he shared how he and his team manage the fight against the pandemic.
“The risk of getting COVID-19 is there every single moment of the day because our PPEs are not fool-proof. One small mistake and you can contaminate yourself. The fear is there, but you don’t dwell on it. You use an ounce of fear as fuel to keep your actions precise to prevent any misstep or contamination.”
Dr. Buensalido revealed that teamwork is what improves their day to day operations. He disclosed that doctors who have different specialties have volunteered to help the infectious disease specialists, pulmonologists, and critical care specialists to ease the burden.
The Balik Scientist recalled that one of his memorable experiences inside the hospital is when they took over an entire infectious disease load of one hospital between him and another colleague. “We were just constantly working and fighting illness continuously from 7am to 10-11pm at night, sleeping then waking up to fight again. Fighting and not allowing defeat until the reinforcements came will forever be etched in my memory – a badge of honor,” he said.
Thankfully, Dr. Buensalido and his team was already able to send home several patients and continues to do so. He explained that the patients recovered because aside from being obedient, they consulted early in their illness. By doing this, his team was able to intervene early by giving them antiviral medicine, supplements, along with close monitoring.
“I really think coming early for dial DOST(DOST PCHRD S&T Media Service)
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