Dengue cases trigger rise in PhilHealth payments in Eastern Visayas

A surge in dengue cases in Region 8 brings about a significant increase in Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) payments in Eastern Visayas, according to the state heath insurer’s Eastern Visayas field operations chief Asisclo Militante Jr. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) in Eastern Visayas has reported a significant increase in payments to healthcare facilities due to a surge in dengue cases in Region 8.

PhilHealth-Eastern Visayas field operations chief Asisclo Militante Jr. said the agency disbursed a total of P68.01 million to cover 6,052 dengue patients as of the first week of September.

This amount already surpassed last year’s total payout of P53.90 million which covered 5,878 dengue patients.

Dengue treatment is included in PhilHealth’s benefit package, ensuring that both members and non-members receive assistance.

READ: PhilHealth covers confinements for dengue and leptospirosis

Dengue patients admitted to hospitals are eligible for compensation of P13,000 under PhilHealth, which is about a 30 percent increase to the P10,000 in previous years.

“Dengue has been part of the PhilHealth package provided that the patients are confined in a health facility,” said Militante in an interview on September 10.

As of August 30, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 10,807 dengue cases in Eastern Visayas, representing a 297-percent increase compared to the 2,723 cases reported over the same period last year.

The cities of Ormoc in Leyte and Catbalogan and Calbayog, both in Samar, earlier declared a state of calamity due to the rise in dengue cases in their respective localities.

Leyte province, including Tacloban City, recorded the most number of dengue cases in the region with 4,633 from January 1 to August 31 this year, followed by Samar (2,832); Southern Leyte (1,643), Eastern Samar (893), Northern Samar (576), and Biliran (230).

The province of Samar has the highest number of dengue-related deaths with 11, followed by Leyte with five, Eastern Samar (three), Northern Samar (two), and Southern Leyte (one).

No fatality was recorded in Biliran.

READ: Philippine provinces see spike in dengue cases

The rise in dengue cases in Eastern Visayas was attributed to the heavy rainfall in the region in the past weeks.

Dengue is an infection caused by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

The infection triggers a severe flu-like illness often followed by a severe drop in an infected person’s platelet count.

Among other symptoms are severe headache, pain behind the eyes, full-body aches, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands or rashes.