DOH says PhilHealth still finalizing COVID-19 home care package

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is still finalizing its home care package for patients with mild and asymptomatic COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

It was in April when the DOH said PhilHealth will create a home care package for mild and asymptomatic patients. However, the said package still has yet to become available.

“Ang PhilHealth po, fina-finalize na lang ‘yung home care package para sa ating mga kababayan,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online media briefing.

(PhilHealth is still finalizing home care package for Filipinos.)

In a text message to INQUIRER.net, PhilHealth spokesperson Shirley Domingo said the state insurer hopes to publish its circular for the initiative before the end of August.

“Hopefully before end of August we will have processed all necessary documents and have the circular published,” she said.

She added that the home care package “will include necessary elements for home care of a mild COVID case like consultations and some medications for common symptoms.”

“Usually, it (circular) is effective immediately upon publication in a major daily,” Domingo noted.

But according to Vergeire, professionals from telemedicine providers have already advised patients with mild and asymptomatic cases about the medical items they should have in their homes. These medical items, she said, include thermometer, pulse oximeter, and usual medicines for fever and colds.

However, she said the use of antibiotics should be prescribed by doctors.

“Huwag kayong iinom ng antibiotics nang hindi prescribed ng ating mga doctor. Hindi po ‘yan recommended ng ating mga clinicians. Kailangan alam natin kung talagang kakailanganin na ng antibiotics o hindi,” she said.

(Don’t take antibiotics unless it is prescribed by doctors. That is not recommended by our clinicians. We have to know if you have to take antibiotics or not.)

She also told the public to not stock up on oxygen tanks if not needed.

“Huwag din kayong bibili o maglalagay ng oxygen sa inyong bahay kung hindi kailangan. Kailangan po nating pag-ingatan ang paggamit ng oxygen. We call it medical grade oxygen and these are prescribed commodities dahil ito ay kailangan guided ng inyong doctor para gamitin ang oxygen na yan,” she said.

(Don’t buy and stock up on oxygen tanks in your houses if you don’t need it. We have to be careful in using oxygen. We call it medical grade oxygen and these are prescribed commodities because you need guidance from doctors on how to use it.)

The country has 79,016 active COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday. Of this number, 96.1 percent are mild or asymptomatic.

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