Table 2. Impacts on Selected Health Indicators, First Quarter 2019 and First Quarter 2020

supervision are not strictly enforced by some LGUs in ensuring that physical distancing in mass gathering is observed such as during the giving of relief goods, distribution of social amelioration program funds, and other activities.

Lack of capacities among some health workers and frontliners. The increased number of cases was attributed to lack of capacities of health workers and frontliners. Not all health personnel are capacitated to respond to emergencies and disasters. There is limited number of health personnel who are capacitated to address Emerging and Re-Emerging International Diseases (EREIDs) like the COVID-19.

Routine operations of health program and essential services were disrupted. The imposition of enhanced community quarantines in the region in response to COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the routine operations of health programs and other essential health services in all levels, primary health care setting and hospital operations. Support systems and interventions were prioritized for COVID-19 prevention, detection, isolation and management which resulted to compromise and displacement of health service delivery for non-COVID programs.

With the restrictions on the mobility of people and limited public transportation facilities, there was a decrease in the pre-natal, post-natal and immunization services and on tuberculosis treatment. Notably, there was increase in the prevalence of raised blood pressure which could be attributed to the anxiety and fear of COVID-19. Also, the prevalence of tobacco use decreased, which could be an indicator that people prioritize the buying food items rather than non-food products during the pandemic.

Table 2. Impacts on Selected Health Indicators, First Quarter 2019 and First Quarter 2020

Health Indicators Q1-2019 (percent)

Q1-2020 (percent) Variance

Proportion of pregnant women with at least 4 pre-natal check-ups 12.60 4.28 (66.03) Proportion of post-partum women with at least 2 post-partum check-ups 12.52 4.69 (62.54) Percent of Fully Immunized Children 15.46 4.81 (68.89) Tuberculosis treatment coverage 20.00 15.00 (25.00) Prevalence of raised blood pressure 20.97 37.95 80.97 Prevalence of current tobacco use 32.14 20.19 (37.12)

Source: DOH Western Visayas Center for Health Development

Limited access to primary health care and non-COVID related health programs. Delivery of primary health care services was disrupted, further limiting access of vulnerable population such as senior citizens, immune-compromised individuals, women, children, persons deprived of liberty (PDL), persons with disabilities (PWDs) and members of indigenous people (IPs) and internally displaced persons (IDPs), etc.. This was brought about by temporary closure of outpatient departments of hospital, animal bite centers, HIV treatment facilities, family planning clinics, immunization clinics, newborn screening (NBS) continuity services, maternal and child health services, TB programmatic management of drug-resistant (PMDT) clinics, diabetic/hypertensive clinics, among others. Border and travel restrictions also hampered the