The Guimaras Provincial Health Summit, which took place last week at the Raymen Beach Resort in Nueva Valencia, sought to prepare the island-province for the anticipated rollout of the Universal Health Care Law, which was ratified by President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this year.
Guimaras is one of 33 pilot provinces for implementation of the new law.
Department of Health-Region VI (DOH-6) Director Marlyn W. Convocar made note of the Provincial Health Board, which will receive a bulk of the allocations pertaining to the law.
“We should have a very good Provincial Health Board because this board will be [the] advisory to the governor [on] what to do with the bulk of money that will be reaching Guimaras,” she explained. “It is a very great amount that sometimes the province is overwhelmed by the amount.”
“Managers of that amount should be very critical,” the DOH official added. “They should be very sensitive to the needs of the people [and] they should issue resolutions by which the money could be used appropriately and rationally.”
Meanwhile, she also made mention of the Special Health Fund, which will provide P1,500 for every family in the province, along with DOH grants, medical assistance for low-income patients, funding from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Department of Social Welfare and Development, among other allotments.
Earlier this month, amid implementation of the Universal Health Care Law, it was reported that the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program (NOCHP) was under review. Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson noted, the DOH regional director already assured the province will recieve more funds under the new law.
The governor suggested using the provincial program to cover the costs of medicine for discharged patients./WDJ