MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said it is developing a home care kit for mild COVID-19 cases to help patients monitor their condition amid the sustained high occupancy rate in hospitals.
“Actually, the Office of the President mismo ang nag-meeting sa amin tapos sabi nila yung home care package, gawin niyo yan para sa ating kababayan,” DOH spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.
(The Office of the President told us to implement a home care package for the people.)
“If they wish to stay home or if they are asked to stay home, they’re confident because they have this kit. For example, nandyan na yung mga iinumin mo tapos may guidance pa galing sa ating mga doctor through telemedicine and that is what we’re trying to develop right now immediately,” she added.
(If they wish to stay home or if they are asked to stay home, they’re confident because they have this kit. For example, it includes the medicines you need and there is guidance from the doctor through telemedicine and that is what we’re trying to develop immediately.)
DOH Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire (Screengrab from RTVM)
Vergeire said the home care package would include vitamins, medicines like paracetamol and instructions for patients on what they should watch out for and when they are expected to seek medical help in the hospitals.
“We are now linking this with telemedicine platforms. So that even if we give you kits, you will be instructed by healthcare professionals kung paano mo gagamitin yun, kung ano yung dapat mong iwa-watch out for and all these things you need while you are in home management,” she explained.
(We are now linking this with telemedicine platforms. So that even if we give you kits, you will be instructed by healthcare professionals on how you will use it, what you should watch out for and all these things you need while you are under home management.)
Vergeire said the DOH is in talks with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) on how to fund the home care kits.
“The kits can be procured by the DOH but we need a totality of the whole package because it’s not just going to be the kits, there would be telemedicine consultations, there would be patient navigations, referral systems so kailangan kumpleto po. Pero when it comes to the kits, it can easily be procured by the government,” she added.
The Office of the Vice President has a similar project where it sends COVID-19 care kits to patients of its online consultation platform “e-Konsulta” that responds to COVID-19 concerns.