Service delivery network eyed for poorest of poor

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Health is eyeing to prioritize the National Household Targeting System Poverty Reduction for the poorest families in the entire province of Cebu to avail of health services.

DOH-7 medical specialist Dr. Nelson Elle said that the care given to the families, especially the poor, will be enhanced through a functional service delivery network of the core referral hospital and members of Rural Health Units of the Inter-Local Health Zone.

Elle explained that by strengthening all the Local Government Units collaboration on health all over the province, it will revive the Inter-local Health Zone. He said that ILHZ was first started decades ago but it never became functional.

He added that through the two-day Cebu South ILHZ summit it will help the DOH, RHUs and LGUs make things functional and possible.

"What we are trying now, pinaagi sa summit kadtong dili functional himuong functional," said Elle.

Assistant Regional Director Lakshmi Legaspi said that Cebu South ILHZ summit is geared towards achievement of Aquino Health Agenda, a universal healthcare in the contribution of the millennium development goals in health.

Elle said that the activity is a great venue to generate support from various stakeholders such as United States Agency cooperating for international agency development, Private Sectors Mobilization and the provincial government.

Yesterday, the different RHUs were given the opportunity to showcase their best practices and valuable initiatives through the ILHZ exhibit.

"Dakong tabang kini aron makit-an sa ubang LGUs ang mga good practices nga pwede usab nilang sundogon" (the exhibit it will greatly help other LGUs to see the good practices of other LGUs that they can imitate), Elle said.

These will be sustained or scaled up province-wide, he added.

South district mayors, hospital chiefs, chief nurses, municipal health office and public health nurse joined the summit held yesterday at Sarrosa International Hotel, Cebu City. The summit will continue today.

Provincial Board member Peter John Calderon, chairman on committee on health, Dr. Roque Paradela, Chief of clinics Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and Dr. Legaspi led the ribbon cutting and signing of commitment.

Governor Hilario Davide, Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and Officer-in-charge of the Integrated Provincial Health Office Dr. Cynthia Genosolango were not able to attend due to prior commitments.  (FREEMAN)