EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 206 - ENJOINING ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY TO SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN THE LABORATORY CONTAINMENT OF WILD POLIOVIRUS PRIOR TO CERTIFICATION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE WESTERN PACIFIC REGION AS POLIO-FREE BY THE YEAR 2000

WHEREAS, in 1988, the World Health Assembly adopted the goal of global eradication of poliomyelitis by the year 2000;

WHEREAS, the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) where the Philippines is a member country is committed to the eradication of poliomyelitis by the year 2000;  

WHEREAS, the Philippines has conducted National Immunization Days from 1993 to 1997 and Subnational Immunization Days from 1998 to 1999 by giving supplemental doses of Oral Polio Vaccine to all children less than 5 years old, achieving more than 90% coverage;

WHEREAS, Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) Surveillance is an essential component of Polio Eradication in providing proof of the absence of wild poliovirus circulation;

WHEREAS, the last wild poliovirus case was isolated in Cebu in 1993 while the last poliovirus case in the Western Pacific Region was isolated in Cambodia in 1997;

WHEREAS, all government and non-government medical/biological laboratories nationwide remain to be potential sources of the wild poliovirus and these shall be subject to inspection so that proper containment measures will be applied to totally eradicate poliomyelitis;  

WHEREAS, after polio immunization stops, the possibility of reintroduction of the wild poliovirus by one of these laboratories into the community poses a public health threat of global proportions; hence, the need for laboratory containment of wild poliovirus.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby enjoin all government and non-government agencies to voluntarily cooperate, support and to designate a focal person in their respective agencies to collaborate with the Department of Health in the containment activities included in the National Plan of Action for Laboratory Containment of Wild Poliovirus.

To achieve this, the Department of Health (DOH) shall coordinate all activities and provide the necessary guidelines to make this project a success. As the lead agency, the DOH may call on the assistance of any government or non-government agency, professional groups, international organizations and other concerned sectors whenever necessary to achieve the goals of global polio eradication.

This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.  

DONE in the City of Manila, this 26th day of January, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand.

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