LEGAZPI CITY: The Department of Health updated its road map for the
“Salud para sa Gabos” (Universal Healthcare) program in the Bicol region for
2012 in the Healthcare Forum conducted October 22 by the Provincial Government
of Albay in partnership with the Health Active Information Network (HAIN) at
the People’s Hall, Albay Capitol here.
“As of May this year, 1,015,101 household beneficiaries in the region
have been enlisted in the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) of the
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth),” said DOH V Assistant
Director Chito Avelino.
The expansion in Philhealth coverage and benefits is one of the steps
taken by the DOH to attain the three strategic thrusts of the Universal Health
Care (UHC) program under the Aquino administration.
These thrusts are financial risk protection, improved access to quality
hospitals and healthcare facilities and attainment of the millennium
development goals (MDGs).
“Poor families covered by the
NHIP are entitled to no-balance-billing (walang dagdag-bayad) when admitted in
any government ward facility so they need not pay any single cent. However
these families should be monitored to ensure that they know their entitlements and
responsibilities,” Avelino said.
Hospitals and health facilities in the region have also been improved.
Further efforts have likewise been conducted on the attainment of the
MDGs particularly on reducing maternal and child mortality, morbidity and mortality
from Tuberculosis and Malaria, and incidence of HIV/AIDS including the recent
Chikungunya cases reported in Albay province.
To fill up the deficiency in community health workers, the DOH has
trained and employed community health teams in the region. These teams assist
in providing the health needs of families, disseminate health information, and
facilitate communication with other health providers.
With the added budget allotted for the improvement of healthcare
services in the country, Avelino urged health personnel to do their part to
ensure that the budget is properly used.
For year 2012 DOH received the biggest budget increase of P42 billion
and P53 billion for 2013.
Also discussed in the said forum are the recent amendments on the
Reproductive Health (RH) Bill.
Among the major amendments are guaranteed public access to information
on RH services, funding support to both modern and natural family planning
methods, flexibility in the teaching of RH and sexuality education and emphasis
that the bill is not a population control measure. – PIA
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