PB okays centralized disease monitoring

All local government units (LGUs) and hospitals across the Province of Cebu will now be required to establish their own Epidemiology and Surveillance Units (ESUs) following the passage of a new provincial ordinance institutionalizing a centralized disease monitoring system.

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The ordinance, titled the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) Ordinance, mandates cities, municipalities, and both public and private hospitals to create ESUs tasked with detecting, reporting, and responding to diseases and public health events.

Under the measure, LGUs and hospitals are directed to conduct active case finding, investigation, and reporting of notifiable diseases, forming a coordinated surveillance network linked to the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit under the Provincial Health Office (PHO).

The PESU will serve as the central body responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating health data across the province, ensuring timely and accurate monitoring of disease trends.

The ordinance emphasizes the need for an efficient and effective disease surveillance system to address public health threats, including emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, epidemics, and other health events.

It also aligns with international and national frameworks, including the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization, recognizing that epidemics can threaten not only public health but also economic and social stability.

At the provincial level, PESU is tasked with investigating outbreaks, maintaining a reliable health information system, and coordinating with regional and national health authorities.