Health still a priority, says government

The Palace reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fighting malaria on Wednesday, announcing expanded health insurance coverage for the disease in response to a call for global unity from the World Health Organization (WHO).

During a press briefing, Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has increased its coverage for malaria treatment. The coverage cap has risen from P780 to P1,170, now including diagnostic tests, medications and consultations for those diagnosed with malaria.

“The Marcos administration continues to focus on the health of every Filipino as PhilHealth responds to the World Health Organization’s call to unite against malaria,” Castro said.

“It has expanded the malaria benefit from P780 to P1,170 for diagnostic tests, medications, and consultations. It also covers malaria treatment without complications of P5,460 in primary care and P7,800 in hospitals,” she added.

The expanded coverage comes after the Department of Health’s Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) reported a significant 90 percent increase in malaria cases in 2023, rising to 6,248 from 3,245 in 2022.

Despite the increase, the country has also seen progress, with 72 out of 82 provinces declared malaria-free in 2024.

This year’s World Malaria Day theme, “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” urges a global commitment to ending the disease through collective action at all levels.

PhilHealth’s expanded coverage includes diagnostic malaria smears, rapid diagnostic tests, medicines (including Artemether + Lumefantrine) and consultations, which also encompass patient education and counseling.