PARENTS should heed the call of Health secretary Francisco Duque III to have their children vaccinated in light of the measles outbreak which now covers several regions in the Visayas and Luzon.
We need to renew our trust to these tried and proven anti-measles vaccines. We cannot afford to risk further our children’s health because of some unfounded fear on the negative effects that may be caused by some vaccines (remember the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine brouhaha?). We note that these vaccines have long been used by health professionals to our people, including to ourselves when we were still young.
Poor families with members infected with measles can avail themselves of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) coverage for indigents. Families must immediately go to hospitals when they see the symptoms of measles among their household. PhilHealth will be there for the indigent families. The most important thing is for the doctor to examine the measles patient and prescribe the correct treatment.
We point out the PhilHealth coverage for indigents because some families may hesitate in going to the doctor because they have no money. PhilHealth is there for our people, particularly the poor.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development must alert their field offices in the regions affected by the outbreak so that social workers will be ready to quickly help the poor avail themselves of PhilHealth measles coverage.
Barangay officials and personnel should also be ready to provide their constituents with the certificate of indigency and barangay clearance which may be needed by indigents to apply for PhilHealth coverage.
The Senate- and House-ratified version of the Universal Health Care bill was sent to Malacañang just this Jan. 23, 2019 awaiting for the approval and signature of President Rodrigo Duterte. Once this bill becomes a law, all Filipinos shall be automatically given coverage by the PhilHealth and will be entitled to preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative health services.
We await with excitement the signing by the President of the Universal Health Care law so that all Filipinos can benefit from it, particularly those coping with measles, dengue, HIV-AIDS, and mental health issues.
