PH needs stronger preventive care -DOH

The Department of Health emphasized on Saturday the urgent need to strengthen preventive care in the country, citing its inadequacy as a major factor contributing to the overcapacity in public hospitals.

"Ito kasing kapunuan ng mga ospital, tingin natin ito ay kumbaga tinatawag na inadequacy, pagkukulang sa primary care," DOH spokesperson Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

(The overcapacity of hospitals, we believe, stems from inadequacies and shortcomings in primary care.)

Domingo explained that without sufficient smaller clinics and hospitals, patients inevitably turn to apex hospitals such as the Philippine General Hospital, exacerbating the overcrowding issue.

To address PGH’s overcapacity, Domingo noted that the DOH has designated 21 accredited hospitals in Metro Manila that could accommodate patients in the coming days.

Additionally, Domingo pointed to the lack of access to nutritious food in some areas as a significant contributor to the rising number of illnesses among Filipinos.

"Hindi lang 'yung primary care, 'yung health promotion. Kasi para hindi dumami yung mga nasu-stroke, 'yung mga inaatake sa puso na kailangan dalhin sa hospital, dapat 'yung masustansiyang pagkain mas accessible at hindi 'yung mga processed foods," he said.

(It's not just about primary care; it's also about health promotion. To reduce cases of strokes and heart attacks requiring hospitalization, nutritious food must be more accessible than processed foods.)

Domingo stressed that strengthening preventive care requires a "whole-of-government and society" approach, making it a shared responsibility between the government and its citizens.

"Paano kung gustuhin man ng tao na bumili ng masustansiyang pagkain... pero 'pag punta niya roon sa merkado, ang sasalubong sa kaniya, 'yung fresh food ay mas mahal pa kumpara doon sa de lata. So siyempre ang pipiliin niya 'yung mas mura," he explained. (If someone wants to buy healthy food but finds fresh produce more expensive than canned goods, they will naturally opt for the cheaper option.)

To alleviate the strain on public hospitals, the government has established approximately 46 Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers across the country.

Despite the recent surge in hospital admissions, DOH reassured the public that PGH management has found no “unusual or dangerous reason” for the influx of patients and expects the numbers to decline in the coming days. — DVM, GMA Integrated News