by Sentinel Times Research Staff July 3, 2021 Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan, Rodrigo 'Rody' Roa Duterteto, Bong Go and the aut...
July 3, 2021
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| Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan, Rodrigo 'Rody' Roa Duterteto, Bong Go and the authors and counterpart in the Senate. (Photo from Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan FB Account) |
LUCENA CITY - The lady is not for burning: Quezon Province 4th district lady lawmaker and House of Representatives committee on health head Rep. Angelina "Helen" Tan went down in a heated squabble for the leadership of the House-- she needed some rest anyway but the 250-strong House chose to bring her back to her post.
Known to her colleagues as an indefatigable worker and health stalwart, Dr. Tan has crafted 183 House measures so far, 14 of which were recently signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in fitting ceremonies at Malacanang.
Dr. Tan, expressed concern for the current state of the nation's health as she warned that the Philippine healthcare system is already on the "brink of collapse" because of the COVID-19 crisis, as the country's coronavirus cases breached the one million mark.
“We are already at the brink of a collapse of our health system capacity with more COVID-19 patients coming in, more infected healthcare workers, and lack of hospital beds. Aside from that, supply of vaccines from the start was scarce, and supply of medicines, such as remdesivir and others, are also declining due to high demand," she stated in her speech before the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Dr. Tan added: "To add more to our challenges, we have also been receiving news reports of hoarding COVID-19 vaccines and raw materials for its production, especially when the US invoked its National Defense Production Act, which would definitely shake the steady supply of vaccines around the globe."
The Ways and Means Committee gave the go-ahead to Dr. Tan's tax provisions of her proposed Substitute Bill on Health Procurement and Stockpiling Act that embodies strategies to combat the current health menace with a view to fit out preparations for coping with future outbreaks.
Grassroots approach a must
Citing findings, the physician lawmaker said that not more than 10 people out of 100 want to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Tan, chairperson of the House Committee on Health, noted that even health workers, and front liners are hesitant, even apprehensive to get vaccinated against the virulent respiratory malady.
In a broadcast interview she cited that “nurses, medtechs (medical technologists), even doctors (are hesitant). May mga ilan ako na-encounter na doctors na hindi magpapabakuna.”
“Kung hindi makakasama 'yung majority of our target population, magiging ineffective and inefficient ang vaccination program,” she warned.
As remedy to a worrisome turn in the vaccination scheme, Tan said the Department of Health and local government units need to step up their information dissemination campaign before program implementation.
A more workable campaign goes deep to the grassroots level to win hearts and minds, not just convincing acceptance of the target population. We cannot just rely on social media, the newspapers, and posters because we need to address a lot of questions, Tan pointed out.
“It's a newly introduced vaccine, so what is called for is likely focused group discussion, thresh out details in small group discussion to reach out Grassroot level talaga ang kailangan gawin,” she added.
Statistics from the Johns Hopkins University show that the Philippines is the 26th country in the world to reach the dire one million milestone, and the second in Southeast Asia.
Better approach to vaccine distribution
The physician lawmaker noted that the current approach of the Department of Health in the distribution of vaccines is reactive rather than preventive or proactive.
The Health department's tack is hinged on a surge in Covid-19 cases in a locality rather than equal distribution of vaccines as on-the-ready measure to cope with spike in cases in every locality.
Dr. Tan took note that the numbers of those infected by the virus won't just go down despite vaccination of residents in a locality-- it takes time before vaccinated individuals develop immunity.
"Daig ng maagap ang masipag," she reiterated stressing that equal distribution of available vaccine dosages throughout localities and subsequent vaccination drive can forestall emergence of new cases and halt the spread of the disease outside major urban centers like Metro Manila.
It won't do any good to stem the tide of the Covid plague in Metro Manila while cases spike up in other areas because these were neglected in the anti-Covid efforts.
In a recent announcement, vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez said at least 70 million dosses of anti-Covid vaccines are arriving in July and August, which prompted Rep. Tan pointing to the DOH buffer stock of vaccines that can be used rather than wait for a surge in cases.
Stronger muscle for nationwide health care delivery
Looking beyond the Covid-19 era that has sapped the nation's economy, wrought havoc on industries and famished families with breadwinners thrown out of work, Dr. Tan drew up House Bill No. 9633 in a bid to set up a national patient navigation and referral system to give stronger muscle to the nationwide health care delivery.
The Tan measure seeks to "institutionalize and broaden the scope of the One Hospital Command System plied out in 2019 that covered only the Metro Manila area. The proposed law bids to provide a link with Malasakit Centers across different health facilities to ensure protection from money risks for poor and needy patients.
She explained that a National Patient Navigation and Referral Center (NPNRC) can "support, strengthen, and facilitate provision of health services of primary care providers. The Center acts as the navigator, coordinator, and initial, and continuing point of contact in the health care delivery system."
The scheme is workable, as evidenced by the existing One Hospital Command that currently serves to facilitate a comprehensive and coordinated response to the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring effective and efficient health facility referral in Metro Manila. This reduces the waiting time of patients by referring them to the appropriate health facility that could best provide for the level of care they require, she cited.
The envisioned Center serves as guide to direct patients, and a gatekeeper to ensure rational and efficient use of existing health resources, interconnect and facilitate communication in the health care system-- hospitals, infirmaries, clinics, other health facilities including local and national government agencies for better patient access to health services.
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