Lessons learned The implementation of community lockdown was startling for most LGUs. Communities were poorly prepared for emergency crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic. In a country exposed to several hazards, both human-made and natural; health crises of this magnitude are hardly talked about, revealing serious and harrowing realities beleaguering the country’s response capacity and management of health risks. Still, there are lessons to be picked up by different levels of government from the experience, especially the health sector.
Assessing the needs of persons with disability In any type of hazard or emergency, there must be tools and survey questions that are readily available to be used for rapid needs assessment of the sectors most vulnerable in the situation. Simple surveys that pinpoint their immediate needs will provide LGUs clear grasp of the types of support and services they must provide to their most vulnerable constituents. The advantage of IDMS and the availability of data to inform government decisions especially in crisis situations could not be stressed enough. In the data collected from Brgy. Ilaya in Las Piñas City during the tool’s pilot testing, medicines, assistive devices, and therapy are three of the top needs of persons with disability that surfaced. These remained true even during the community
Assistive devices needed by persons with disability in Las Piñas City based on the data from IDMS Pilot Testing Results 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
73
Prosthesis/orthosis
Therapy
Accessible transportation
None
Medical operations
Assistive devices
Personal assistant
Medicines/maintenance medicine
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