8 contents 5 The SONA and Sec. Ona 8 ComPack - Reaching the Poor with Medicines 11 Generics - Safe, Effective, Mura pa! Saan ka pa? 13 Universal Access to Medicines 17 Kapit Tuko 20 Progress Towards Malaria Elimination 23 A Healthier Ride 24 Dr. Fe del Mundo 26 NBA with DOH 28 A Taste of Energy 30 FDA: Beware of Health Claims of Water Products 26 31 Torn Between Two... 32 Challenging MMDA’s Smokefree Policy 32 37 37 Bloody Awards 45 Gulayan sa Paaralan 47 Health 100 49 Smart Oral Health Practices NO HEALTH EXAM, MORE JOKES N’YO In celebration of our 15th Anniversary, we will not stress you out with a quiz, instead, we will treat you with more joke pages... FACEbeat 12 laughter HEALS 19 stress RELIEF 22 KALAbeat 44 SAbeat 50 HEALTH EXAM returns next issue. 49 July - August 2011 I HEALTHbeat 3 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - National Center for Health Promotion 2F Bldg. 18, San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila 1003, Philippines HEALTHbeat Tel. No. (63-2) 743-8438 Email: [email protected] Anniversaries Ah, anniversary! It is the annual recurring date that commemorates or celebrates a notable event, such as a birth, founding, wedding, and even death. According to Wikepedia, the word anniversary was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints. In the recent past, however, a year has become too long a time. Teenagers and young adults have been making a milestone over a month’s last of their romantic relationships, and they call it a “monthsary”. Maybe this only shows that today’s love affairs are too fleeting. In June, there were some notable anniversaries – the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal on June 19, the 113th year of Philippine Independence on June 12; the 113th year also of the Department of Health on June 23; and the first year anniversary of President Editorial Board Benigno S. Aquino III on June 30. The latter, of course, became the favoriite of most Filipinos Irma L. Asuncion, MD, MHA, CESO IV Ivanhoe C. Escartin, MD as the President and his accomplishments were scrutinized, rated and praised or criticized. Rosemarie G. Aguirre These went on to July 25 when he delivered his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Congress and up to the end of the month. Editors-in Chief Anthony R. Roda May Elenor R. de Guzman Every minute the President delivered his speech, every wang wang that he uttered, every Managing Editor Donato Dennis B. Magat applause he received and even every cough he made were counted. Just how many? According Staff Writers Elizabeth G. Mascareňas to news reports, he spent 54 minutes in his SONA and there were 20 wang wang to describe Abigail Corpuz-Quetulio abusive use of authority, 49 claps, and 9 coughs. Cover Design Diosdado G. Angeles, Jr. Photographer Paquito P. Repelente Now, we will do our own count. Unlike other government agencies, the DOH was never Contributors mentioned, but at least PhilHealth made it in the list. Among health accomplishments, (Words) Tomas Marcelo G. Agana III immunization were mentioned twice and it was subsumed as a benefit of the Pantawid Joyce Anne dP. Ceria Pamilyang Pilipino Program and as one of the new laws recently passed in Congress. However, Catrina N. Eustaquio, RN Anna Melissa Guererro, MD the President did not include the controversial bills on reproductive health and tobacco excise Marinette J. Ladioray tax. Anyway, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte mentioned them as priority bills in his Vanessa J. Saulog opening speech for the second regular session of the 15th Congress. Tato S. Usman, MD (Pictures) Adell R. Azuelo What the President did not highlight on health issues in the limited time of the SONA, Romeo S. Caparas Joerem P. Ceria HEALTHbeat will do lengthily here. This is our commitment to the public and we have been Cristina Gamboa-Juatchon doing justthat these past 15 years. And incidentally, this is our anniversary issue! Circulation DOH-NCHP Production, Dissemination – The Editors and Collection Section FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the DOH. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturer’s products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the DOH in preference to others of similar nature. Articles may be reproduced in full or in part without prior permission, provided credit is given to the DOH for original pieces. A copy of the reprinted or adapted version will be appreciated. Articles, artworks, photographs, caricatures, letters and other contributions are most welcome. Materials will be edited for clarity and space. Unsolicited manuscripts will not be returned. Contributors must indicate their names and addresses. 4 HEALTHbeat I July - August 2011 HEALTH reports The SONA & Sec. Ona SONA on Health The Department of Health echoed the President’s State of the Nation’s Address (SONA) on July 25 as it reported that the government has already enrolled 5.2 million poor families identified in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s National Housing Targeting Survey for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) in the National Health Insurance Program or PhilHealth. Of the 5.2 million families, around 3.9 million families or an estimated 20 million beneficiaries were newly enrolled into the Sponsored Program with funds coming from the DOH budget allocation of The President’s SONA. Photo grabbed from <www.lugaluda.com> Php 3.5 billion. These are the poor families neglected over the years and were not year will still be reimbursed by PhilHealth. the PhilHealth related concerns. included in PhilHealth’s Sponsored Program. DOH and PhilHealth in This August, PhilHealth launched Only 950,000 of those enrolled in the cooperation with the local government the Case Rates scheme for the in-patient Sponsored Program in the past year match units are distributing PhilHealth cards treatment of 22 common medical and with the NHTS-PR and have been enrolled all over the country. Ona called on all surgical conditions. PhilHealth will through subsidies from both the national PhilHealth beneficiaries to be active in reimburse a fixed package for the treatment and local governments. getting information on how to avail of their or procedure concerned which will already From April to December 2011, PhilHealth membership. include rooms, operating room charges, families can avail of their PhilHealth “It is important that the people medicines, and the health professional’s fee. benefits which include in-patient benefit know their entitlements and obligations The scheme will initially cover normal birth packages in public and private health as members,” declared the health chief deliveries, caesarian operation, dengue, facilities as well as out-patient packages as he bared the government’s plan to hypertension, stroke, acute gastroenteritis, in accredited rural health units and health educate members of their benefits and newborn package, maternal package, centers. Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona responsibilities. PhilHealth desks are being appendectomy, among others. An added explained that expenses from admissions set up in over 70 DOH-run tertiary hospitals feature of this package is the “No-Balance and hospitalizations from April to June this all over the country to assist beneficiaries for Billing” or “Walang Dagdag Bayad” for NHTS- July - August 2011 I HEALTHbeat 5 PR members enrolled in PhilHealth admitted to encourage voluntary enrolment from Ona reminded the employees in public hospitals for these conditions. informal sector which include self-employed that President Aquino, upon assuming his Moreover, PhilHealth operations professionals and individuals who can afford office as the new president of the Republic, continue to be improved, and Php 350 to pay the premium. announced health as one of his top priorities. million have been invested to facilitate the “Let us work together to achieve In response to this challenge, the DOH has upgrading of its information technology (IT) Kalusugan Pangkalahatan or Universal laid out the health agenda of Kalusugan capabilities to streamline all its processes Health Care in three years,” Ona encouraged. Pangkalahatan which focuses on the including membership applications, plight of the poorest Filipinos. accreditation, claims payments, etc. Sec. Ona’s Report “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan The NHTS-PR is a mechanism is the DOH’s very own strategy for poverty to identify the poor Filipinos who will be On June 23, DOH’s 113th reduction; after all, healthy Filipinos are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang anniversary and a week short of his first more productive and are better equipped to Pilipino Program of the DSWD. For 2012, year as health chief, Sec. Ona delivered an fight poverty,” he said. the DOH is targeting the enrolment of some inspirational message which outlined his In his message, Ona emphasized 10.8 million poor Filipino families identified administration’s accomplishments to the the implementation of his hospital facilities by the NHTS-PR which represent the poorest DOH employees. First and foremost of these enhancemen program. This started off 40% of the population. accomplishments included the expansion with the Ospital ng Pinoy campaign and The national government through of the social health insurance coverage noted that “we have seen the benefits of the proposed DOH budget of Php 12 billion of the poorest Filipinos, providing them cleaner and more orderly hospitals.” He will fully subsidize the 5.2 million poorest access to health and other services, and the also noted that under this program, the Filipino families while it proposed that the challenge the country faces in attaining the DOH will expand and upgrade the barangay next 5.6 million families will be subsidized by Millennium Development Goals by 2015, health stations, rural health units, local local governments. The DOH and PhilHealth particularly the reduction of mother infant government hospitals, and DOH Regional will also launch an intensified campaign and child mortality.