Pia seeks inquiry on readiness of PH's public healthcare infra and services for 'new normal'

Senator Pia S. Cayetano seeks to conduct legislative inquiries into the current state of the country's public health infrastructure and health service delivery, with the end goal of improving our responsiveness to the COVID-19 pandemic and other future health emergencies.

The senator on Wednesday (May 13) filed two Senate resolutions urging the appropriate committees to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the future of our public health system in preparation for the 'new normal.'

Senate Resolution No. (SRN) 403 seeks to assess the capacity of the "public health infrastructure and the accessibility of vital medical equipment and supplies" to respond to the current pandemic and future health emergencies.

While acknowledging that supplemental measures allowed the government to reinforce the healthcare system for COVID-19, Cayetano noted that mounting cases continue to push our healthcare facilities to their capacity limits.

"Modeling forecasts show that the number of COVID-19 cases in the country may peak towards 70,000 to 75,000 cases within the next three months," the senator noted, citing a report by the Department of Health (DOH).

"Despite having 68 percent of the country's hospital beds in Level 2 and Level 3 hospitals where COVID-19 patients can be treated... recent estimates [still] show that hospitals in the country fall relatively short from the optimal 42,856 beds, with one hospital bed available for every 1,121 Filipino patients," she further cited.

Furthermore, Cayetano mentioned the lack of basic sanitation facilities in the country's healthcare centers. A 2019 World Health Organization study revealed that four percent of health facilities in the Philippines have no toilets, while 23 percent utilize unsanitary toilets, thus allowing the spread of infection among communities.

The senator also pointed the need to address lack of access to medical equipment in the country, stating that the 'new normal' requires that we have an adequate supply of vital medical equipment and materials to meet both medical and public consumption needs.

"Recent reports show that there are 1,937 mechanical ventilators for COVID-19 patients, which remains relatively insufficient given the standing 8,361 active cases in hospitals as of 11 May 2020... The alarming number of COVID-19 cases among health workers [also] highlights the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE)... with hospitals estimated to use an average of 200 to 500 PPEs per day," Cayetano noted.

"These aspects of the country's health system, if remained unchecked amid the projected trends of this virus, may strain our capacity to effectively control and prevent the spread of the disease and to significantly transition to an imminent new state of normalcy," the senator said, as she pushed to review existing policies on public health infrastructure and access to vital medical supplies, to ensure the country's healthcare capacity and self-sufficiency.

Meanwhile, Cayetano also filed SRN 404, calling for a hearing by the Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Innovation, and Futures Thinking, which she chairs, on the effects of COVID-19 on the future of our health service delivery.

"With the onset of the New Normal, existing practices and systems in health service delivery, such as physical clinics, face-to-face triage, and paper-based prescriptions, may be ineffective in responding to the need for stricter respiratory hygiene and physical distancing measures," she stressed.

As such, the senator said different sectors - the academe, private sector, and government - should collaborate to explore possible outcomes, emerging ideas, and innovative opportunities and strategies for a better delivery of health services during the 'new normal.'

"We should employ futures thinking as an essential strategy in dealing with this issue. It is a method of informed reflections on the possible futures of various aspects of life," said Cayetano, who is an advocate for Futures Literacy among Filipinos, especially among policymakers.