MANILA, Philippines — An international child welfare on Thursday called on local government units to put in place protective measures for children whose parents contract the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In a statement issued Thursday morning, nonprofit Save the Children Philippines said that children with COVID-19 positive parents could face discrimination for their family's health status or worse, be isolated and orphaned once their parents get hospitalized.
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Lawyer Alberto Muyot, chief executive officer for Save the Children Philippines, called on governments to ensure that children left behind continue to be cared for by trusted adults, noting that placing them in the care of their closest relatives may not always be an option given the circumstances.
“The COVID-19 pandemic poses major risks to children and their families such as disruption of routine immunization, antenatal care services, therapy sessions for children with disabilities, and other necessary health interventions,” said Muyot.
READ: Children’s welfare through COVID-19 response a priority
“The health crisis may also lead children to risks of neglect, abandonment, violence, and exploitation through a loss of or separation from primary caregivers,” he added.
Stigmatization of COVID-19 patients
Save the Children Philippines in their statement also cited cases of discrimination against carriers of the new pathogen, including that of a health worker who was attacked by five men and splashed with bleach.
Muyot said a person’s health status, whether real or perceived, should not be a basis for discrimination and mistreatment.
“Stigma drives people to hide their illness to avoid discrimination, and prevent them from seeking prompt health care,” he said.
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According to Muyot, local governments could address this stigma by conducting sustained public information campaigns to provide information as well as practical steps to keep citizens from getting infected with COVID-19.
Healthcare workers on the frontlines, who are among those most at risk of contracting the virus, have said on numerous occasions that they feared the possible effects of patients lying about their medical conditions.
The health department, too, has acknowledged that patients who withheld this information led to the deaths of medical workers.
Department of Health spokesperson Rosette Vergeire said in an interview with CNN Philippines' "The Source" in March that "some of [the doctors] died because their patients were not able to disclose their full information, thereby giving them that increased risk that's why they got infected and eventually died."
Special needs children
Save the Children Philippines also said that community guidelines must also integrate the specific needs of children with disabilities when their parents, guardians are tested positive for COVID-19.
Parents of special needs children have reported difficulty in dealing with the uptick in tantrums brought about by the recently-extended quarantine.
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But Luzon's lockdown has left the disabled without many choices: if they break quarantine, they risk transmission of the virus, which has proven to be more fatal for the sick. If they observe the quarantine, they risk aggravating their existing conditions without the proper healthcare and medicine.
At the onset of the enhanced community quarantine, Save the Children Philippines also called on the Department of Education and LGUs to ensure children will have access to appropriate care such as routine healthcare services in the event an adult caregiver requires hospitalization and craft comprehensive plans for remote learning for students who miss out on school.
LOOK: The Commission on Human Rights issues a series of infographics outlining why the plight of vulnerable sectors should be considered in informing risk communication and community engagement initiatives in the time of COVID-19. @PhilstarNews
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The Commission on Human Rights has also called attention to women and children who were experiencing domestic abuse due to the enhanced community quarantine trapping them indoors with abusive parents.
READ: Philippines urged to combat escalating domestic violence cases amid virus lockdowns
Luzon has been under lockdown for a month, leaving vulnerable sectors largely uncertain, owing to a muddled rolling out of the government's social amelioration program for families affected by the lockdown.
“We call on local leaders to provide child-friendly, gender, and disability sensitive information to help children know how they can protect themselves from getting infected by COVID-19, be protected from abuse and exploitation, and where to report and seek help,” said Muyot.
As of this writing, the virus has afflicted 5,223 Filipinos according to the Health Department's latest count on Tuesday evening.
If you believe you have come into possible contact with infected patients, you may be directed to the proper office of the Department of Health for advice through the following lines: (632) 8651-7800 local 1149/1150 or (632) 165-364. You may also opt to call the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine at (02) 8807-2631/ 8807-2632/ 8807-2637