Forward planning on health care

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 caught most countries by surprise.  It did not matter then if you are a rich and powerful nation, a developing economy or an under-developed one — every country in the world suffered in the wake of the surprise attack of the virus.

The coronavirus spread throughout the globe, decimating thousands of people and ruining economies.  Despite the advances in science, medicine and technology, the world that was lulled into complacency by previous manifestations of the virus such as SARS and Ebola was caught grossly unprepared.

After the tragic Covid-19 disaster, countries the world over would be doing their constituents a disservice if they do not institutionalize measures to prepare for the next possible pandemic.  On this, the Philippines is now ready.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin has issued, by the authority of President Marcos, Memorandum Circular No. 26, adopting the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) 2020-2040.  This circular enjoins all concerned national government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and local government units (LGUs) to undertake efforts to support the implementation of the PHFDP and the plans and programs specified in it.

The memorandum circular also directs the Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), to facilitate the dissemination and ensure the effective implementation of the PHFDP at the local level.  The health department was also directed to assist and support LGUs in translating the plan into long-term local health facility development plans and coordinate with LGUs in formulating policies for establishing primary care provider networks and health care providers networks.

The DOH crafted the PHFDP to serve as the country’s overall strategy for infrastructure and medical investment to ensure a strong primary care and integrated health system for every Filipino, consistent with the Republic Act (RA) No. 11223, the Universal Health Care Act of 2019.

This law provides that the State shall adopt a framework that fosters a whole-of-system, whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach in developing and implementing health policies, programs, and plans to ensure a people-oriented approach in delivering health services.

In the implementation of the PHFDP, the administration must try the whole-of-government approach, involving even the communities, in defining health problems, identifying needs and resources, establishing priority goals and setting out the administrative action needed to realize those objectives.

Local governors and mayors can now expect assistance from the DOH in the establishment and strengthening of their respective health facilities, even as the department encourages them to enter into public-private partnerships (PPPs) to address the gaps in the PHFDP with the assistance of the PPP Center.

One good point mentioned in the circular is the directive for the health department, the Board of Investments of the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Fiscal Incentives Review Board to pool their minds and resources together to study, formulate, and implement policies that will encourage both domestic and international enterprises from the private sector to invest in health facilities.

The health plan should serve as the nation’s road map in promoting human and social development by boosting health through an accessible, efficient, and strengthened healthcare system.

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