Health systems impact of COVID-19 in the Philippines /
Health systems impact of COVID-19 in the Philippines /
Diana Beatriz S. Bayani and Soon Guan Tan
- Washington, DC : Center for Global Development, 2021.
- 25 pages.
- Working Paper ; 569 .
Lockdowns and policy actions to curtail the transmission of COVID-19 have widespread health
system, economic, and societal impacts. Health systems of low-to-middle-income countries may
have fewer buffering resources and capacity against shocks from a pandemic. This paper presents
a preliminary review on the collateral health systems impact of COVID-19 in the Philippines
through review of academic and grey literature, supplemented by a qualitative survey. Community
quarantines alongside transport and boarder restrictions have universally impacted health service
access and delivery, affecting patients requiring specialist care the most. Existing record-keeping
and surveillance measures were hampered as existing resources were tapped to perform COVID19-related tasks. Local health systems reinforced gatekeeping mechanisms for secondary and
tertiary care through referral systems and implemented telemedicine services to reduce face-to-face
consultation. The health system impacts in the Philippines have been variegated across municipal
income class and topography, contributed by long-standing symptoms of inequitable resource
allocation.
COVID-19
Delivery of Health Care--Philippines
Pandemic
Health Systems
Lockdowns and policy actions to curtail the transmission of COVID-19 have widespread health
system, economic, and societal impacts. Health systems of low-to-middle-income countries may
have fewer buffering resources and capacity against shocks from a pandemic. This paper presents
a preliminary review on the collateral health systems impact of COVID-19 in the Philippines
through review of academic and grey literature, supplemented by a qualitative survey. Community
quarantines alongside transport and boarder restrictions have universally impacted health service
access and delivery, affecting patients requiring specialist care the most. Existing record-keeping
and surveillance measures were hampered as existing resources were tapped to perform COVID19-related tasks. Local health systems reinforced gatekeeping mechanisms for secondary and
tertiary care through referral systems and implemented telemedicine services to reduce face-to-face
consultation. The health system impacts in the Philippines have been variegated across municipal
income class and topography, contributed by long-standing symptoms of inequitable resource
allocation.
COVID-19
Delivery of Health Care--Philippines
Pandemic
Health Systems