Yellow Coded: April 2010 Does the Makati Health Program (MHP) deliver quality health care to low- income, elderly women in Makati?

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to know what the Makati Health Program is all about and to determine how it provides health care services to its senior citizens while identifying the role of the city government in improving the health status of its residents using the evaluation criteria for effectiveness presented in the Analytic Framework. Makati has been committed in giving efficient and high quality health services for the indigent residents through the Makati Health Program, popularly known as the “Yellow Card”. The general aim of the MHP is to provide medical services and encourage health awareness through subsidized hospitalization (Asian Development Bank, 2004). The program stands out today and serves as a best evidence of the government to faithfully honor their commitment to serve the people. It was also invited by the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT) to be featured in an exhibit during the First Universal Forum on Cultures in Barcelona, Spain from May to September 2004. The methodologies used were qualitative and data gathered from secondary sources. The results show that Yellow Card is very useful in accessing health care especially for those given with full discount. Health in Makati is very well - attended but still the government finds other ways on how to improve their program. It holds monthly meetings and annual assessment of the performance of the program in the past year. Seminars are also conducted regarding different health issues (family planning, teenage pregnancy, etc.). Medical mission also serve as a tool to further reach those people who are lazy to personally visit the doctor due to some personal reasons. What the government can do to further improve its health program is to continuously asses the strengths of the program and maintains it, and identifies its weaknesses to avoid it in the future. Some factors like low salary of medical practitioners and the lack of space are few of the problems the program encounters. What the government can do to further improve its health program is to continuously asses the strengths of the program and maintains it, and identifies its weaknesses to avoid it in the future.