PhilHealth to cover hospital expenses of Cebu quake survivors

MANILA, October 4 ------ State insurer PhilHealth will cover the hospital expenses of survivors of the powerful earthquake in Cebu, the Department of Health said.

A 6.9 magnitude quake ripped through the province Tuesday night, killing at least 72 people and injuring nearly 300 individuals. DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo said Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has instructed PhilHealth to cover the expenses of victims in the affected areas.

Domingo said the move allows victims to seek medical care not just in government hospitals but also in private medical institutions. He noted that a similar move was made when Super Typhoon Yolanda struck Tacloban in 2013. Rescuers are still trying to find survivors trapped under collapsed buildings or establishments, and Domingo said it is "critical now to be fast." "From a medical perspective, as time goes on, survival goes down," he warned.

Meanwhile, the United Nations in the Philippines said Wednesday it was assessing the impact of the earthquake and remained ready to support the response and recovery efforts of the government.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com