Health

PA RT I I Assessment of the Effect of COVID-19 in Region VI

Health

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted the performance of the health sector. Implementation of essential health programs, the universal health care, health promotion programs, mental health and the Philhealth programs was hampered resulting to poor accomplishment in some health indicators and non-implementation or delayed implementation of these health programs.

Absence of provincial accredited laboratory/testing center to handle COVID-19 tests. The probables and suspects of COVID-19, especially those exhibiting virus symptoms or has a travel or exposure history in relation to the virus will be subjected for swabbing for the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing (RT-PCR) test. The sole accredited center in the region, the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City handles the swab testing and can run only 500 tests daily. Due to the influx number of specimens received by the center, the turn-around time for the processing and release of test results would be delayed, considering that there are no accredited laboratory centers at the provincial levels.

Lack of health professionals and other frontliners. As the region struggles to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, private and public hospitals are confronted with the shortage of health professionals and frontliners, who are critical in the fight against the corona virus. Ratio of population to health professionals like doctors, nurses, medical technologists and even barangay health workers is still below standard or ideal ratio. Moreover, as frontliners, the number of health professionals are getting fewer as they succumbed to the virus and the huge number of patients in both public and private hospitals.

Shortage/Inadequacy of emergency supplies and medical logistics, including personal

protective equipment (PPE) for health professionals and frontliners. Emergency supplies and medicines in treatment and quarantine facilities in various areas of the regionare insufficient. Supplies like PPEs, gowns, face shields, face masks, and respirators are essential for the protection of health workers, patients, and frontliners from hazards in healthcare facilities due to the COVID-19 virus.

Poor implementation of minimum health protocols on COVID-19. The surge of community transmission of COVID-19 cases was attributed to poor observance of minimum health protocols by local residents. The DOH has issued guidelines on managing positive cases, the observance of minimum health standards on wearing of masks, physical distancing, proper washing of hands, and limiting travel to basic essentials but these were poorly implemented in some LGUs. Due to inadequate knowledge and information about the pandemic, some residents did not take these precautions seriously and still have poor health and sanitation practices. Monitoring and