DOH, PhilHealth, UNICEF and WHO Launch Benefit Package for Survival of Premature, Small Babies

The Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), together with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO), on Friday launched a benefit package for premature and small newborns.

Health Secretary Dr. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial, in a message delivered by Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo during the launch at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City, said the package was created to save the lives of infants and give them and their mothers a better tomorrow.

The package will include PHP600 for corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medicine), PHP3,000 for medicine to prevent preeclampsia and eclampsia, PHP4,000 to transfer the mother to a specialized hospital, and PHP24,000 to PHP135,000 for interventions.

UNICEF Country Representative to the Philippines Lotta Sylwander said the package targets the 300,000 premature and small newborns every year who have the right to survive.

Sylwander added that the sad reality is that premature births and low birth weights lead to early death among children and complications due to inappropriate care.

“Almost half of deaths in the Philippines who are under five are related to prematurity and low birth weight,” she said.

The package will be available by next year, the UNICEF official said, appealing for everyone’s participation in ensuring that the package reach the 300,000 babies as part of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“As mentioned, it’s being rolled out next year. It’s really the first of its kind in this country and both premature and disabled children are very much left behind in so many ways. By promoting this, I think we can have many babies have a tomorrow,” she said.

She also promoted breastfeeding and ensuring that pregnant women get the proper nutrients they and their babies need.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gundo Weiler of WHO said that such an important intervention would have a great impact in the near and distant future.

Weiler noted that globally, 15 million babies are born prematurely every year, and two million of them are in the Western Pacific Region.

“Asking families to make cash payments has been a key obstacle to expanding appropriate care to all infants. This package will make a substantial impact on lives and will help the Philippines achieve the National Objectives for Health, contributing to the United Nations SDGs of less than 10 newborn deaths for every 1,000 live births by 2030,” he said.

“This is a landmark benefit for PhilHealth,” said PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Ramon Aristoza. (PNA)CVL/LSJ/RSM