The Department of Health (DoH) on Thursday reported that about 1.5 million sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) have been distributed both to public and private hospitals for the month of May.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire revealed that over 1,000 PPE sets this month have likewise been distributed to 47 other hospitals, adding that the DoH will continue to procure more PPE for other hospitals in the coming days.

According to the Inter-Agency Task Force for Managing Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), about five million sets of PPEs is the set national target to be procured every month.

The World Health Organization (WHO) earlier flagged the Philippines for the rise in its number of health personnel who tested positive citing that possible causes may have been due to the lack of PPE in some hospitals.

In other developments, the DoH also warned the public of scammers who are using the agency’s name to solicit any form of monetary contribution and Vergeire stressed that the Health department has never authorized any of its officials or employees in collecting such funds.

“The DoH vehemently denounces these felonious and insensitive acts we have neither authorized any activity of this nature nor have we allowed any person to solicit financial contribution on behalf of any of our officials, employees and the department at large,” said Vergeire.