Position Paper

Area: H.Bautista St. Concepcion Uno, Marikina City

Topic: Marikina City adequately reinforced medical services and health care

among the people in Concepcion Uno in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

I. Introduction

Governments, healthcare systems, and other institutions must work

together to adequately address the threat posed by COVID-19 to the broader

community. Millions of lives have been lost, the economy has been thrown off

balance, and it has severely impacted national livelihoods, education, and

mental health. Despite heavy government lockdowns in several cities, a million

infections and fatalities have occurred. It has exposed vast holes in the nation's

governance, economic, medicinal, and technological institutions and left many

people without support. The urban area has been the hardest afflicted by the

outbreak, whereas Marikina city is included. The Center for Global Development

(CGD) specialists have underlined the significance of health system readiness,

improved testing, and context-based response from the beginning of the

COVID-19 outbreak. Hence, cities like Marikina in the Philippines have been

working to provide residents with accessible medical and health services.

II. The Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic o]]]n the Healthcare System in

Marikina City
 The sustained effect of COVID-19 on hospital service utilization in the

Philippines raises concerns about an impending public health emergency in

nations with weak health systems. Community quarantines and travel and

border restrictions have adversely affected the delivery and access to health

services, particularly for patients who need specialized care. Existing resources

were used to carry out COVID19-related operations, which interfered with

existing record-keeping and surveillance mechanisms. Additionally, the system is

constrained by a lack of healthcare workers and inadequate infrastructure

investment, and healthcare delivery disparities further threaten access to

services. In the National Capital Region, there were 23 beds per 10,000 people,

compared to less than ten beds per 10,000 people in the rest of the country,

according to The Philippines Health System Review, a WHO publication from

2018. Although the delivery of healthcare services by publicly and privately run

health systems are intended to be complementary, there is currently no efficient

way to control the growing private sector. The disjointed public health system is

under further strain because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with this

fragmentation, the government's inadequate response has caused a holdup in

mass testing and contact tracing, an overburdened healthcare system, and a

sluggish rollout of vaccines. Recently, the National Capital Region (NCR) and 38

other localities were recently placed under Alert Level 1, starting on March 1,

2022. The government may enhance the warning level again if cases and

hospital use rates rise. This risk rating is in place for two weeks. Therefore,

policymakers must use a whole-of-health approach considering all

circumstances, service delivery networks, and access for the most vulnerable

throughout the recurring waves of COVID-19 and lockdowns.

III. Medical Services and Health Care in Marikina City During the Pandemic

The Department of Health (DOH) officially approved the Marikina City

Government's COVID-19 testing center on April 16, 2020, under Mayor Marcy

Teodoro. The Inter-Agency Task Force gave the city's testing center

accreditation the "go-signal" for the Management of Emerging Infectious

Diseases (IATF-EID), which also updates the nation's present status considering

the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Marcy emphasized local autonomy in Section

16 of the Local Government Code, which states that every local government

unit shall exercise the powers necessary and appropriate in the promotion of the

general welfare and health of the public. The coronavirus testing facility in

Marikina contains two PCR devices and can process up to 400 samples daily.

From its partner, Manila HealthTek, Inc., the local government has already

purchased 3,000 test kits and will buy more for the city. Scientists from the

University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) developed the

test kits. Mayor Marcy assured that the UP-NIH-trained molecular pathologists

and qualified staff would conduct and manage these tests. Following the

suggestions on space and biosafety standards the DOH and WHO set, the new

Marikina COVID-19 testing center is now situated inside a recently constructed

two-story structure in Barangay Concepcion Uno. For transporting samples from

hospitals and other testing facilities to the laboratory, two nearby ambulance

units were assigned the task.

Moreover, as operations at the Marikina Sports Center Vaccination Site began,

Marikina City came under the spotlight on the opening day of the National
COVID-19 Vaccination Days. Between November 29 and December 1, 2021, a

statewide vaccination operation was conducted to vaccinate 15 million

Filipinos. As the number of infections rises again, Marikina City has joined other

local government units and the national government in introducing COVID-19

vaccinations to pharmacists to fasten the nation's vaccination campaign.

Additionally, it would allow previously vaccinated patients taking their

medications to have booster shots at the drugstore nearby, saving everyone

from the trouble of long lines. The mayor claimed that the first drugstore in

Marikina to be authorized to provide free COVID-19 booster shots aims to

vaccinate between 100 and 200 people daily. Depending on the quantity of

the vaccines, they may also accept walk-ins, although there is a buffer stock set

aside for them, especially for people who urgently need to get vaccinated. The

mayor of Marikina has thought of engaging psychologists and guidance

counselors from private schools to decrease the psychological harm

vaccinations may cause to children. Furthermore, Marikina City implemented

efforts to better manage the flow of people in advance of the anticipated influx

of vaccines, both for residents and non-residents, such as requiring online pre-

registration and designating places to allow walk-ins.

IV. Conclusion
 In conclusion, Marikina City adequately reinforced medical services and

health care among the people in Concepcion Uno in response to the COVID-19

outbreak by establishing a testing facility in partnership with Manila HealthTek,

Inc., and scientists from the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of

Health, providing two ambulance units for transporting samples for the testing

facility, conducting organized vaccination operation which is open for and

youths and walk-in residents and non-residents, authorizing Marikina drugstore

for free COVID-19 booster shots aims to vaccinate between 100 and 200 people

daily, and engaging psychologists and guidance counselors from private

schools to decrease the psychological harm vaccinations may cause to

children. As Filipinos and citizens of Marikina, it is our duty to serve relentlessly to

maintain the availability of health care for the city's residents and the entire

country, especially the region's most vulnerable patient populace.

References:
Bayani and Soon Guan Tan, D., & Tan, S. (2021, March 30). Health Systems
Impact of COVID-19 in the Philippines. Center for Global Development | Ideas to Action.
Retrieved July 7, 2022, from:

https://www.cgdev.org/publication/health-systems-impact-covid-19-philippines

Caliwan, C. L. (2021, October 22). 326 minors get covid-19 jabs in Marikina. Philippine
News Agency. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157477

Dahonog, F. (2020, April 16). IATF Gives Marikina COVID-19 Testing Center 'Go-
signal’, Orders DOH to Fast Track Accreditation. Marikina City - Shoe Capital of the
Philippines. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from

https://marikina.gov.ph/webmarikina/IATF-Gives-Marikina-COVID-19-Testing-
Center-'Go-signal.html

DILG NCR Admin. (2022, April 29). All hands on deck as lgus spearhead three-day
national covid-19 vaccination days - dilg-NCR. DILG. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from
https://ncr.dilg.gov.ph/all-hands-on-deck-as-lgus-spearhead-three-day-national-covid-
19-vaccination-days/

Elsevier. (2021, April). COVID-19: an ongoing public health crisis in the Philippines. The
Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanwpc/article/PIIS2666-6065(21)00069-9/fulltext

Lalu, G. P. (2022, January 22). Marikina joins National Gov't in opening Covid
vaccinations in pharmacies. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1543407/marikina-joins-national-govt-in-opening-covid-19-
vaccinations-in-pharmacies