Department of Health (DOH) Associate Secretary Albert Domingo emphasized that the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) reaching full capacity reflects ongoing challenges in the country’s primary healthcare system.

“Nakikita natin ang kahinaan ng preventive care na dati na nating pinalalakas (We are seeing the weaknesses in preventive care, something we have been working to strengthen),” Domingo said in a radio interview on Saturday.

To help ease PGH’s load, he assured the public that the DOH has 21 hospitals in Metro Manila ready to accept patients in the coming days.

He added that the DOH has been operating the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) centers for a year now to help decongest hospitals. They now have around 46 BUCAS centers and counting.

Regarding private hospital accessibility and primary care, Domingo stressed the importance of PhilHealth’s Konsulta program, which aims to involve private clinics and hospitals in providing primary healthcare services.

“Pinapaigting pa ang Konsulta program, para ang private clinics and hospitals ay sumama sa primary care. Dapat 'yung kabayaran ng primary care ay sapat 'yung rate (We are strengthening the Konsulta program so that private clinics and hospitals actively participate in primary care. The reimbursement rates should also be sufficient to encourage more providers to join),” he explained.

As PhilHealth remains the country’s largest health maintenance organization, Domingo underscored the need to enhance its benefits and ensure effective primary care for members.

“Dapat whole of government and whole of society approach... Sa public health, hindi natin dapat ipinapasa sa publiko lamang, shared responsibility ito (Healthcare is a shared responsibility. It’s not just up to the public — we need a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach),” he said.

Domingo also clarified that there is no unusual surge in illnesses, attributing PGH’s full capacity to the high volume of patients and the underutilization of other hospitals in nearby areas.