Home care kits to boost LGU response to mild Covid-19 cases

MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Tuesday welcomed the Department of Health’s (DOH) move to develop home care kits for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients with mild symptoms.

In a radio interview, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said this initiative will greatly help the government’s efforts to de-clog hospitals and isolation facilities for Covid-19 patients.

He added that the project will help barangay health workers in dealing with mild or asymptomatic cases in their communities.

“Diyan papasok yung ating mga BHERTs o yung barangay health emergency response teams, mas kilala nila at alam nila yung mga sitwasyon sa barangay at may naka-ready na tayo na ganung package. Malaking tulong yan para mabawasan yung ating mga nasa isolation facilities at mailabas din naman natin yung mga gumaling na galing ng hospital (That is where our BHERTs will enter. They know better the people and the situation and we have a package ready for them. This will greatly help reduce the number of patients in isolation facilities and in turn, discharge those who have recovered from hospitals),” he added.

The proposed DOH home care kit package consists of medicines needed for combating Covid-19, notes from doctors on how to use them, vitamins, and warnings on symptoms that would require patients to seek immediate medical attention in hospitals.

On Monday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they are now in talks with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. for the funding of these home care kits.