DOH: Better health services for Pinoys in 2013 if...

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) assured the people of better services and a healthier year once the agency’s increased budget for 2013 is approved.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona said the proposed P54.6-billion budget for next year would ensure that Filipinos would be getting substantial health benefits.

“It is imperative for us to support the proposed DOH 2013 budget in order to build on the health gains of 2010-2012 and continue the direct, immediate, and substantial health benefits for our people, especially the poor,” Ona said.

The proposed budget for 2013 is 25 percent higher than the department’s budget this year and includes P39.5 billion for the Office of the Secretary, P304.5 million for the Commission on Population, P327 million for the National Nutrition Council, P13.5 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program that is under the Priority Social and Economic Projects Fund, P908 million for the specialty hospitals, and P40 million for the Philippine Institute for Traditional and Alternative Health Care.

About 69 percent of the budget will finance priority programs, activities, and projects such as subsidy for health insurance premium payments of indigent families and health facilities enhancement program.

Ona said the subsidy for health insurance premium, amounting to P12.6 billion, will ensure the enrollment of 5.2 million indigent families to the Philippine Health Insurance System (PhilHealth).

He added that the P13.5 billion under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program will be used to upgrade and modernize selected barangay health stations, rural health units, district, provincial and DOH-retained hospitals.

“Some P2.8 billion is allocated to the Doctors to the Barrios and Rural Health Practice Program for the deployment of 22,500 batch 4 RN HEALS (Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Service) and midwives to conditional cash transfer (CCT) areas, as well as 221 medical doctors to doctor-less municipalities,” he said.

The P1 billion under the National Pharmaceutical Policy Development (including provision of drugs) will provide complete treatment packages to 1,395 rural health units and 160 district hospitals in poor municipalities.

The P1.9-billion budget for the expanded program on immunization is for the full vaccination coverage of eligible children 0-11 months for BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guarine), DPT (Diptheria Pertussis Tetanus), OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine), Hepatitis B, Measles, Tetanus Toxoid, Measles-Rubella, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, and rotavirus. The cost of vaccines for indigent senior citizens (pneumococcal and influenza) is included under the Family Health and Responsible Parenting program.

The budget for infectious diseases program include the procurement of anti-TB drugs, anti-malarial drugs, anti-rabies vaccines, diagnostic kits, and insecticide-treated beds, among others.

“The proposed 2013 budget will put us closer to achieving our Millennium Development Goals and strengthen the Aquino administration’s promise of universal health care for all Filipinos,” Ona said.

Ona also asked the Senate to pass two critical pieces of legislation – the tobacco and alcohol excise tax reform bill and the reproductive health (RH) bill.

“Reforming the excise tax structure on alcohol and tobacco will discourage the consumption of tobacco and alcohol products, especially among the youth and the poor. At the same time, the additional revenues earmarked for health will substantially improve how health care is being delivered in our country. The RH bill, when enacted, will contribute in improving maternal and child health,” Ona said.