Worsening weather conditions due to climate change and other factors have increased health risks a hundredfold.
According to a journal published by The Lancet, overall findings indicate that climate change has adversely affected people's health in various ways.
The effects of climate change resulted in the rise in cases of dehydration and heatstroke. At the same time, floods facilitated the spread of cholera and the introduction of dengue fever and the Zika virus disease.
In the Philippines, warming temperatures due to climate change created favorable conditions for vector-borne diseases like dengue, while heavy rains allowed the spread of more breeding areas for dengue-bearing mosquitoes.
As an added protection for risks brought about by both the pandemic and other illnesses such as dengue, Filipinos are also encouraged to observe the minimum health protocols, remove stagnant water from storage containers, and keep their areas clean.
Malayan Insurance Co. Inc. has rolled out Vital Cover, an insurance plan to help manage the ill effects of modern-day diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and COVID-19, as well as accidents.
Vital Cover is a 5-in-1 COVID-19 cash assistance product that provides loss of life and hospitalization cover to the pandemic. It also provides insurance protection against accidents, and hospitalization for dengue or chikungunya.
Malayan Insurance vice chairperson Yvonne Yuchengco underscored how climate change is a global crisis with disturbing health implications.
“It is important that people have protection. We cannot stop climate change nor the spread of diseases, which is why insurance protection is critical,” Yuchengco said.
As an affordable alternative, Malayan Insurance also offers Dengue Cash, an insurance product that comes with a full-year personal accident cover and provides cash assistance of P10,000 should the policyholders be diagnosed with dengue.
The diagnosis of the dengue disease alone qualifies the policyholder for the dengue cash aid, with no confinement needed. Dengue Cash also includes coverage for death and disability due to accidents. The product protects minors and senior citizens up to 70 years old.
Malayan Insurance is a member of the Yuchengco Group of Companies (YGC).
