300 non-operational super health centers flagged by DOH to ICI

MANILA, Philippines — Around 300 "super health centers" across the country that remain closed to patients despite being marked as complete have been brought to the attention of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa, appearing at the ICI on Friday, October 17, that many of these facilities lack basic utilities like electricity and water. 

Herbosa's meeting was upon the commission invitation to discuss the issue of the non-operational health centers. The DOH secretary said he has submitted documents on such facilities tagged as completed but are not ready for occupancy.

Super health centers are health facilities that are bigger and better equipped than regular health centers, but offering less complex services than hospitals. Since being introduced in 2021, the number of super health centers funded for construction has climbed to 818.

"The obstacles to operations are number one, there is no power, there is no water," Herbosa told reporters during a press conference after meeting with the ICI.

Herbosa said all health facilities in 2024 are being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) due to a provision in the 2025 General Appropriations Act requiring DPWH to handle construction of health facilities costing over P5 million that are not directly under DOH control.

"So, since DPWH in the  is in the highlight, I decided to look at the things being implemented by either the DPWH or the LGU," the DOH secretary said.

There are generally three ways health facilities are built, the DOH chief explained.

"It can be [the DOH] regional office, the local government unit, or the DPWH district engineer's office. So that's why I'm looking at the health facilities built through that methodology," Herbosa added.

Local governments' role

Of 878 super health centers funded since 2021 through the Health Facility Enhancement Program, preliminary DOH data shows only 196 are operational, with another 17 partially operational and 365 undergoing construction at various states, according to DOH's preliminary data.

The 300 non-operational facilities represent more than a third of the 878 total centers funded.

While the infrastructure for the super health centers are under the DOH, Herbosa pointed to local government units as the main entities repsonsible for the facilities' complete utilities and hire medical staff, including doctors, nurses, midwives and pharmacists.

"It is the LGU that will make sure that it is connected to the electricals, that is connected to water lines," he said. "Kami, grant lang to build the infrastructure (We just give the grant to build the infrastructure)."

Next steps. The DOH, according to a statement following Herbosa's meeting with the ICI, will continue case build up for the 300 problematic centers. 

The facilities will also be personally inspected by DOH officials, Herbosa said. 

"I will ask my regional directors to visit [all 300]," Herbosa said in mixed English and Filipino. "I will ask why they still cannot provide services." 
 
The department will also activate a "Citizens Participatory Audit" to gather public reports about the idle health facilities. 

The ICI will also support the ongoing investigations by the DOH, the statement added.