FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 . .lllL 20 
1\11 :42 
SEN1T~71 
S.No. ___ _ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
./ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to ARTICLE XIII Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution: 
"The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory 
system and undertake appropriate health, manpower development, and research, 
respon~ive to the country's health needs and problems." 
Nosocomial infections are infections which are a result of treatment in a hospital or a 
healthcare service unit, but secondary to the patient's original condition. This type of infection is 
also known as a hospital-acquired infection (or more generically healthcare-associated 
infections). Health experts have warned that one mit of 20 patients confined in a hospital or 
health care unit acquires infection during admission. Dr. Victor Rosenthal, of the World Health 
Organization's Infection Control Guidelines External Reviewer, said that in most developing 
countries 15 out of 100 patients confined in the intensive care unit are at risk of acquiring 
hospital-related infection. Hospital-acquired infections have been identified as responsible for a 
large number of deaths in the world. The most efficient way to reduce the spread of this type of 
infection is to improve hygiene practices in the hospital. 
This bill seeks to address a very much preventable cause of death and hospital-related 
illnesses by keeping track of all possible sources of infection that will guide hospital 
administrators in addressing these problems.' 
• This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
f" '1 '\. , ' 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 
JUl 20 All :/12 
Rf'i(;NVH, By' 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
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REQUIREING DISCLOSURE OF HOSPITAL INFECTIONS 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
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assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Definition. - As used in this Act, "Hospital-Acquired Infection" shall 
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mean any localized or systemic patient condition that: 
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(A) Results from an adverse reaction to the presence of an infectious agent or agents, or 
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its toxin or toxins; and 
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(B) Was not present or incubating at the time of the patient's admission to the hospital. 
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SECTION 2. Hospital Record. - All hospitals shall collect and maintain records of data 
lion hospital-acquired infection rates for specific surgical procedures and/or surveillance in critical 
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care and/or intensive care units performed by the hospital, as determined by the Secretary of 
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Health, including the following types of infections: 
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(A) Surgical Site Infections; 
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(B) Ventilator Associated Pneumonia; 
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(C) Central Line Related Bloodstream Infections; 
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(D) Urinary Tract Catheter Infections; and 
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(E) Such other types of infections as shall be determined by the Secretary of Health. 
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SECTION 3. Reporting. The information obtained in accordance with section 2 of this 
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Act shall be reported as follows: 
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(A) Each year on or before April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31, each hospital 
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shall report all data collected on hospital-acquired infections in such hospital during the 
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immediately preceding quarter. 
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(B) Each year on or before March 1, the Department of Health shall submit a report to 
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the legislature, summarizing the data included in the hospital quarterly reports for the previous 
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calendar year. In addition, such report shall be available to the public upon request. 
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SECTION 4. Advisory Committee. The Secretary of Health shall establish and appoint 
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members to 'an advisory committee. The members of the advisory committee shall include 
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representation of infection control department of both public and private hospitals, physicians, 
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epidemiologists with hospital-acquired infection expertise, academic researchers, health insurers, 
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health maintenance organizations, organized labor, consumer organizations and purchasers of 
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insurance, such as employers. The majority of the members of the advisory committee shall 
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represent interests other than hospitals. The advisory committee shall work with the Department 
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of Health to establish standards, rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of 
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this Act. 
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SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
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parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or 
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modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
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declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not 
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affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 7. EffectiVity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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