DOH to assist 16 more provinces craft health program

Sixteen more provinces, mostly from Mindanao, will be assisted by the Department of Health (DOH) in crafting a systematic and priority-driven health program by providing them with logistics and training.

These provinces are Benguet, Isabela, Albay, Catanduanes, Mas­bate, Sorsogon, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zam­boanga Sibugay, Lanao del Norte, Campostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao del Norte, Saranggani and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Health Secretary Francisco Du­que III said these provinces comprise the second batch of the beneficiaries of the DOH’s FOURmula One for Health program. A total of 21 provinces have initially benefited from this program.

These provinces were chosen based on several criteria including economic status.

“We’re guiding them how to craft their health programs, how they can better invest in health to achieve better results. We want them to have a more responsive health care system,” Duque said recently.

A total of P8 billion has been allocated by the DOH to the program, which involves training of local health experts and providing them with monetary and logistical support.

The local leaders will be taught to formulate programs based on priority illnesses and health conditions. Among the priorities of the DOH are the campaigns against tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and malaria, child and maternal health, Botika sa Barangay and enrolment in Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

The chief executives of the 16 provinces have already forged a memorandum of understanding with the DOH, affirming their commitment to support the program.

They committed to ensure the availability of low-priced medicines commonly used by the poor, improve quality of health care facilities and hospitals, implement and operationalize DOH priority programs and expand the coverage of health insurance.