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Arroyo pushes for public health care reform

MANILA, Jan. 11 (PNA) -- Former president now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants to rationalize and modernize the government health care system delivery in the country.

Arroyo has filed House Bill No. 4143 to address the deterioration of government hospitals amid the devolution of health services to local government units (LGUs), noting that the lack of funding from the LGUs marred the delivery of health care in these state-run facilities.

"The problems brought about by devolution led to the deterioration of health services particularly in far-flung areas where services are needed most. Only one-third of the total number of hospitals and about half of hospital beds are public," Arroyo said.

"Out of the country’s 41,000 barangays, only one-fourth have a barangay health station. These government health facilities have been notoriously described as “death stations” for their lack of equipment, medicines and able staff," she added.

In her bill, Arroyo asserted the need to improve health care infrastructures through a program extending technological, financial and administrative assistance to LGUs with inter-agency and multi-sectoral cooperation.

She said the Department of Health should provide each LGU competent physicians to assist the local chief executive as may be appropriate in the monitoring of health care delivery functions and enhance the capability of hospitals.

Doctors deployed in remote areas should also be given more incentives and benefits such as hazard allowance, subsistence pay, automatic promotion, scholarships to their legitimate children in state colleges and universities as well as free legal representation and consultation, she noted.

Arroyo’s bill also pushes for the establishment of diagnostic centers with modern and quality equipment in all provincial hospitals.

Arroyo earmarked a PHP1 billion annual funding support to implement the provisions in her bill.

"Notwithstanding the devolution of health services in 1993, the deterioration of health facilities and equipment remains deplorable, something which has been admitted by the department," Arroyo said, citing that LGU funds financing devolved health services were inadequate based on a 1995 DOH study.

"This bill humbly attempts to respond to such an urgent need to effectively address pressing health issues in order to rationalize the health care delivery system in our country," she stressed. (PNA)

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