DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, March 30 (PIA) -- PhilHealth Negros Oriental has encouraged more local health offices and animal bite treatment center (ABTC) facilities in the province to apply for accreditation with the agency so they can become eligible providers of PhilHealth’s animal bite treatment package.
PhilHealth Provincial Head Maritess Que said in a Kapihan sa PIA forum that the agency offers P3,000 worth of treatment package to defray the cost of post-animal bite treatment of patients bitten by rabid dogs and other animals.
The package includes administration of vaccines, immunoglobulins, antibiotics, and other supplies.
This service can be availed in PhilHealth-accredited ABTCs.
However, there are only four PhilHealth-accredited ABTCs in Negros Oriental, namely the Sibulan Rural Health Unit (RHU), La Libertad RHU, Pamplona RHU, and Valencia RHU.
Que said the Dumaguete City Health Center was once accredited to extend this PhilHealth package but it did not renew its accreditation.
By being accredited by PhilHealth, ABTCs can cater to PhilHealth members which comprise a sizeable chunk of the population and ensure funding from the agency as it pays the health service provider P3,000 for every case of post-animal bite treatment referred to them.
“That is a hatag na serbisyo or tabang sa atong health centers na accredited as animal bite treatment facility para ma-upgrade ang serbisyo (This is a form of assistance to health centers that are accredited as animal bite treatment facility so they can also upgrade their services),” Que said.
Department of Health (DOH) Negros Oriental Representative Dr. Mylene Infante welcomed this announcement from the PhilHealth official.
She said Negros Oriental has 13 ABTCs spread in every city or municipality that are accredited under the department and there are also other health service providers who have submitted their letters of intent to DOH to be recognized as an ABTC.
Infante added that this will greatly help people seeking medical treatment for animal bites as these services will be more accessible to them.
She noted that over the past years, rabies-related deaths in the province ranged from five to 10 cases a year.
In 2021, there were 10 deaths recorded related to rabies infection.
DOH is still verifying the figures for 2022.
Que said this is another reason for people to be enrolled with PhilHealth, as she also urged those who are not yet members of the agency to sign up with them to avail of this treatment package.
Meanwhile, some individuals raised the concern that P3,000 is not enough to cover the treatment expenses.
Sibulan Municipal Health Officer Dr. Jan Sibala-Arco said that in private clinics, vaccines could cost from P10,000 to P30 000 depending on the weight of the patient.
However, she noted that anti-rabies vaccines in her RHU are supplied by the DOH.
Dumaguete City Veterinarian Dr. Lourdes Socorro also noted that in the case of humans, the cost of treatment would also depend on the part that was bitten by the rabid animal.
If the part that was bitten is near the head, then it would entail stronger medicines to prevent the spread of virus to the brain which could be expensive for patients.
In response, Que said the amount of the treatment package was pegged at that price as DOH is already supplying vaccines to health centers and other government ABTCs so the animal bite treatment package is intended for supplemental expenses like antibiotics.
However, she said she will relay this feedback to their executives for them to review their policies and possible rate adjustments in the future to further benefit its members. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)
Comments
Post a Comment