DOH, Philhealth urged to speed up accreditation of NCGH for ER, in-patient services

By Billy Begas

Deputy Speaker and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. on Sunday called on the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to fast-track the accreditation of the National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH), the facility primarily established for the needs of senior citizens.

Abante said the accreditation will allow the NCGH to operate its emergency room and inpatient services.

While recognizing the need to address some requirements, Abante said “the DOH and PhilHealth must take several factors into consideration.”

“First, we all know our hospital capacity is incredibly strained because of the surge in COVID cases; kung may severe COVID ka, napakahaba po ng waitlist para ma-admit sa isang ospital,” Abante lamented.

He said the country is obviously in need of additional facilities that have functioning emergency rooms and can take in patients.

“Second, the NCGH is the only facility that specializes in geriatric care. If it is not allowed to provide all its services, then our senior citizens will have no other facility to turn to,” Abante added.

The solon explained that the NCGH was limited by PhilHealth to provide only outpatient services in 2019 and ordered the hospital to apply for another accreditation to be allowed the operation its ER and inpatient services.

Abante said the accreditation issues have highlighted the urgency of establishing a National Geriatric Health and Research Institute (NCGHRI), a fully-operational hospital that will cater to health services specifically for the elderly.

“This pandemic, and this issue involving the accreditation of the NCGH, only emphasizes the need for a medical facility dedicated to geriatric care, and I urge my colleagues in Congress to expedite the passage of this measure so we can say to our senior citizens: yes, we care,” he said.

Abante is the author of a measure seeking to convert the NCGH into NCGHRI. The House Committees on Health and on Ways and Means have approved the measure.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)