Mental health has been under the spotlight since the pandemic started. PHOTO: ST FILE
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Tuesday called on the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and the Department of Health (DOH) to develop a more comprehensive mental health package and to make medicines more accessible.
“I urge PhilHealth to develop as soon as possible a more comprehensive mental health package that will also include consultation and other outpatient services. For as long as it is viable on the part of PhilHealth, coverage should include a much wider range of mental and behavioral conditions,” Go, Senate committee on health and demography chair, said in a statement.
“I also appeal to DOH to make its existing Medicine Access Program for Mental Health more accessible to as many Filipinos in need of mental health medicines,” he further said.
The lawmaker likewise raised that government service which caters to mental health patients should be widely available across the country.
“Although the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City continues to cater to mental health patients, we have to make this type of government service available to more people nationwide, especially in rural and far-flung areas,” Go pointed out.
“Huwag na nating pahirapan ang mga mamamayan natin na sila pa ang lalapit sa atin. Gobyerno na dapat ang lumapit sa kanila,” he said.
(Let us not burden our citizens to come to us. The government should instead approach them.)
As the country continues to grapple with the pandemic, Go also urged concerned agencies to boost the COVID-19 reintegration strategy to assist recovering from the disease.
“Likewise, I urge all concerned agencies to bolster our COVID-19 Reintegration strategy to assist people recovering from moderate and severe COVID-19 and address their post-COVID-19 conditions. This is to ensure that they regain their full health and become productive members of our society again,” he said.
“As I have said many times before, we have to ensure that no Filipino is left behind on our journey towards full post-pandemic and economic recovery,” added Go.
The country on Monday recorded 37,070 additional COVID-19 infections while over 33,000 have recovered from the virus.