Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Republic Act No. 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act)

Declaration of Policy (Section 2):
- Protect and promote the right to health of the people.
- Protect people from public health threats through efficient disease surveillance and response.
- Comply with the 2005 International Health Regulations of the WHO.
- Recognize epidemics and public health emergencies as threats to public health and national security.
- Recognize disease surveillance and response systems as the first line of defense against epidemics.

Definition of Terms (Section 3):
- Defines terms such as disease, disease control, disease surveillance, emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases, epidemic/outbreak, epidemiologic investigation, health event of public health concern, infectious disease, mandatory reporting, notifiable disease, public health authority, public health emergency, public health threat, and response.

Objectives (Section 4):
- Continuously update the list of notifiable diseases and health events of public health concern.
- Ensure establishment and maintenance of disease surveillance and response systems.
- Expand collaborations beyond traditional public health partners.
- Provide accurate and timely health information during public health emergencies.
- Establish mechanisms for collaboration with government agencies for prompt response.
- Ensure public health authorities have statutory authority for mandatory reporting, investigations, quarantine, isolation, and disease control measures.
- Provide sufficient funding for epidemiology, surveillance units, outbreak investigations, and response.
- Require participation of public and private entities in disease surveillance and response.
- Respect rights to liberty, bodily integrity, and privacy while preserving public health.

Notifiable Diseases and Health Events (Section 5):
- The Epidemiology Bureau under the DOH shall regularly update and issue the list of notifiable diseases and health events of public health concern.

Mandatory Reporting (Section 6):
- The DOH shall issue the official list of public health information systems for mandatory reporting.
- The DOH and local counterparts are mandated to implement mandatory reporting.
- The DOH and local counterparts shall establish and maintain functional disease surveillance and response systems.
- All public and private entities are required to accurately and immediately report notifiable diseases and health events.
- Data collection, analysis, and dissemination can only be done by authorized personnel for public health purposes.
- Authorized health personnel have statutory authority for reporting, investigations, quarantine, isolation, and disease control measures.
- The DOH and local counterparts shall ensure adequate capacity for surveillance and response, and safety of personnel.
- All personnel shall respect rights to liberty, bodily integrity, and privacy while preserving public health.

Declaration of Epidemic or Public Health Emergency (Section 7):
- The Secretary of Health has authority to declare epidemics of national/international concern.
- The President shall declare a State of Public Health Emergency when it threatens national security.
- Local health offices may declare outbreaks within their localities with scientific evidence.

Establishment of Epidemiology and Surveillance Units (Section 8):
- The DOH and LGUs shall ensure Epidemiology and Surveillance Units (ESUs) are established and functional at all levels.
- ESUs shall capture and verify reported diseases, provide epidemiologic information, conduct surveillance and response activities, coordinate response, and facilitate capacity building.
- ESUs shall have trained human resources and adequate resources for effective performance.

Prohibited Acts (Section 9):
- Unauthorized disclosure of confidential patient information.
- Tampering of records or providing misinformation.
- Non-operation of disease surveillance and response systems.
- Non-cooperation in reporting or responding to notifiable diseases or health events.
- Non-cooperation of persons or entities identified as having the notifiable disease or affected by the health event.

Penalties (Section 10):
- Violation is punishable by a fine of not less than ₱20,000 but not more than ₱50,000, or imprisonment of not less than 1 month but not more than 6 months, or both.
- Professional licenses may be suspended or revoked.
- Civil service eligibility may be suspended or revoked.
- Business permits and licenses of facilities/entities may be cancelled.

Appropriations (Section 11):
- Initial implementation shall be charged against the current year's DOH appropriations.
- Subsequent funding shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 12):
- The DOH shall issue the implementing rules and regulations within 120 days after approval of the Act.

Repealing Clause (Section 14):
- Act No. 3573 (Law on Reporting of Communicable Diseases) is repealed.
- All inconsistent laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules and regulations are repealed or modified accordingly.