Authorities arrested two Chinese doctors on Wednesday for illegally operating a medical facility for their compatriots who are suspected of being infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Makati City.
This came about a week after authorities arrested two Chinese nationals and ordered the full lockdown of Fontana Leisure Park inside Clark Freeport in Pampanga due to the illegal use of the facility as a treatment hub for Chinese patients with the deadly COVID-19.
But in a related development, Malacañang said on Wednesday traditional Chinese medicine should be explored as an effective treatment for persons infected with the coronavirus.
In a report, Southern Police District (SPD) acting director, Col. Manuel Peralta, said suspects David Lai, 49, the head doctor; and Liao Songhua, 41, the assistant doctor of the clinic, were arrested at the Goldstar Medical Clinic and Pharmacy Corp. located at Unit 501-506 at New Lasema Spa Building along Sampaloc St. on Tuesday afternoon.
The suspects were arrested following an inspection conducted by the local police's Investigation and Detective Management Section and the City Health Department after confirming reports of a Chinese doctor allegedly providing treatment for suspected Covid-19 patients.
Authorities seized rapid test kits for Covid-19 and other medical paraphernalia such as swab sticks, vials, and syringes.
Also confiscated were multiple boxes of Chinese medicine that contain tablets and capsules with Chinese labels believed to be unregistered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The suspects will undergo inquest proceedings for criminal charges before the Makati City Prosecutor's Office.
Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said health experts should not discount the possibility of the effectiveness of traditional Chinese medicine since they were being used by an illegal hospital and clinic being operated in Pampanga and Makati, respectively.
“Although this is a violation of the law and we shut down [illegal hospitals], let us not forget that because they were treating Chinese patients, they might also have effective products),” Roque said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.
Should the traditional Chinese medicine be found effective, they must first be registered under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he said.
“Let us find out if this traditional medicine works. If it does, let us register it and try to use it to treat our patients. But it cannot be used without being examined,” Roque said.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the FDA to act on drug applications, including traditional Chinese medicines, within 48 hours.
“The FDA, even before the raid on illegal clinics, was instructed by the President to hasten the process of registration,” Roque said.
He said the President made the order, recognizing that China, where the virus originated, has a wealth of experience when it comes to treating the deadly virus, compared to other countries.
“We also want to find out if this Chinese medicine works so we can use it. But it has to be registered under the FDA,” Roque added.
However, he reiterated that only licensed physicians are allowed to practice the medical profession and that only the use of FDA-approved medicines will be allowed in the country.
Traditional medicines, which are getting significant attention in global health debates, are naturally occurring, plant-derived substances with minimal or no industrial processing that have been used to treat illness within local or regional healing practices.
In China, traditional medicine played a prominent role in the strategy to contain and treat severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).