By Ma. Teresa Montemayor
MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday assured that patients affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu will not have to pay hospital expenses, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to enforce zero balance billing in government hospitals.
DOH Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Albert Domingo said the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Cebu South Medical Center, and Eversley Medical Center — all DOH-run facilities near the affected areas — are implementing the policy.
“Ito ang pinagka-iba ng zero balance billing doon sa ibang paraan. Hindi na po ninyo kailangang lumapit sa desk, sa bill na lang po, isi-zero na po iyan sa utos na rin ng ating Pangulo (Unlike other systems, patients and families no longer need to approach the help desk, the bills themselves will automatically be covered and reduced to zero, in compliance with the President’s directive),” Domingo said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview.
He added that the Office of the President has also released augmentation funds for the repair of damaged health facilities, both DOH- and local government unit-managed, while PhilHealth is exploring ways to extend zero balance billing to private hospitals if funding permits.
As of Wednesday night, the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center had received 78 patients, while 35 others were transferred to the Armed Forces of the Philippines Medical Center – Camp Lapu-Lapu Station Hospital to prevent congestion at Bogo Provincial Hospital.
Most cases were minor injuries, such as abrasions and bruises, although some patients requiring intensive care were referred to larger hospitals.
Domingo said rapid health assessments confirmed that major hospitals in the region did not sustain structural damage.
Nine primary care facilities, including rural health units and barangay health stations in Daanbantayan, Medellin, Tubigon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Borbon, and Catmon, were initially reported damaged and were still being verified.
To support operations, the DOH has already delivered PHP1 million worth of medicines and supplies to affected areas.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other foreign partners have expressed readiness to extend assistance.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus assured support and that the WHO office in the country has received DOH’s needs list and that other international partners are also on standby, Domingo said.
Foreign assistance will be carefully coordinated to avoid confusion, while local response capacity remains in place. (PNA)
