JAVIER, Leyte – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) launched on March 24 its advocacy campaign, “Alaga Ka para sa Maayos na Buhay” (Alaga Ka) in this town, in a bid to raise awareness on how to avail healthcare services.
About 500 residents gathered at the municipal gymnasium participated the information drive, or just a fraction of the 5,700 families in this town listed in the National Household Targeting System whose health insurance premium are shouldered by the government
“This program is very informative. Poor families don’t exercise the right to avail of health benefits because they are not aware. If we can address health concerns, it can solve everything,” Mayor Leonardo Javier said.
Rixon Requioma, 25 and a balut vendor in this town and expecting the birth of his first child two months from now was among those who actively participated in the occasion.
“Now I know what are the benefits of our Philhealth membership, especially that my wife will give birth May,” he said.
Under PhilHealth’s maternity care package, Requioma’s wife is entitled of services such as prenatal and postnatal checkups, medicines, and supplies.
The “Alaga Ka” campaign, according to Renato Limsiaco, chief of Philhealth regional field operations, will add more value to government investments on health insurance premium subsidies.
“The utilization is still low because indigents are not aware of Philhealth benefits. In fact, 60% of Filipinos died without seeing a doctor. We need to address that one through massive information drive,” Limsiaco said.
“Alaga Ka” is a collaboration between Philhealth, Department of Health, local government units and other stakeholders in the health sector to make sure that indigent members and those from the near poor segment of the population are properly instructed on how to avail of these basic health services at the rural health units and health centers.
Aside from the conducting information drive, government and private health service providers also extends services through its TSeKaP or Tamang Serbisyo para sa Kalusugan ng Pamilya.
TSeKaP services include regular blood pressure monitoring; counseling on breastfeeding, smoking cessation and lifestyle modification; screening services to detect breast and cervical cancers; and digital rectal exam. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO with LIZBETH ANN ABELLA)
