The vulnerability of the elderly to the 2019 novel corona virus (2019 nCoV) highlights the need for a national health center that specializes in the care of senior citizens.
Minority Leader Benny Abante Jr. stressed this on Wednesday in light of the rising death toll as a result of the 2019 nCoV outbreak in China. Of the over 300 confirmed deaths in China, over 80% were over 60 years old, China’s health officials said
“Such a facility is needed now, more than ever.”
Speaking to reporters at the House of Representatives, Abante said “the elderly account for the majority of those who have lost their lives to their virus, and this only serves to emphasize that the elderly require special care given their vulnerabilities.”
According to the Department of Health, three individuals in the Philippines have now been confirmed to have contracted the virus. The latest case is a 60-year-old Chinese woman.
“This is why I would like to again call on my colleagues to support one of my bills, House Bill 3939, which will convert the National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) into the National Geriatric Health and Research Institute (NCGHRI) and finally establish a fully-operational hospital that will cater to health services specifically for the elderly,” said solon from Manila.
“Such a facility is needed now, more than ever, to ensure that elderly Filipinos exposed to viruses such as the 2019 nCoV can receive the specialized treatment needed to help them survive such outbreaks.”
The NCGH is currently just an outpatient department under the Jose Reyes Memorial Center. It is not operational because of the absence of a law that allows for its operations.
“The elderly account for the majority of those who have lost their lives to their virus.”
House Bill 3939, or “The “National Center for Geriatric Health and Research Institute Act,” establishes the NCGHRI, a 100-bed hospital that will be attached to the Department of Health (DOH). Under the measure, not less than 40% of the NCGHRI’s hospital beds shall be allocated for indigent patients.
The NCGHRI shall, among others: (1) equip, maintain, administer, and operate an integrated medical institution that specializes in geriatric health services; (2) provide and maintain affordable, quality, and timely hospital care through an efficient health service delivery system that prioritizes the need of the elderly; and (3) coordinate the various efforts and activities of other government agencies and local government units for the purpose of achieving effective approaches to the delivery of geriatric health services.
Funding for the NCGHRI shall be sourced from the DOH under the General Appropriations Act. Aside from these funds, the NCGHRI will also have its own trust fund composed of contributions from taxes, donations, and income from its pay wards.
Donations to the NCGHRI shall be exempt from donor’s tax and will be considered an allowable deduction from the gross income of the donor consistent with the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997.