Published March 10, 2021, 5:00 AM
A group of health advocates urged the government to be transparent and efficient in spending the P205.8 billion health budget during the first-year implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.
In a statement, the UHC Watch called on civil society to be vigilant and actively push the progressive implementation of the programs under the UHC law for the maximum benefit of all Filipinos.
According to the 2021 general appropriations act, P134.5 Billion is allocated to the Department of
Health for General Administration and Support (P8.09 billion); support to Operations (P1.91); Promotive and Preventive Healthcare (P56.94 billion); Curative and rehabilitative healthcare (P49.31 billion); Regulation (P1.08 billion); and Social health protection (P17.13 billion).
JCOMP/FREEPIK
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has severely affected the global economy and overwhelmed health systems in many countries. In the Philippines, it exposed several gaps on both public health infrastructures and national health policies. It has also highlighted the country’s fragmented governance and the lack of healthcare facilities and human resources for health that led to the slow-phased responses to the pandemic.
Last year, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III mentioned that “battling the COVID-19 pandemic has demanded much from our health system and not only revealed its faults but emphasized an urgent need to transform and heal the system as a whole. The Universal Health Care (UHC) Law was crafted to address this very gap that has plagued our system for many years. Hence, it is a critical moment to seize, to fast track the transition to universal healthcare.”
Published February 25, 2021, 11:48 AM
The Healthcare Professionals Alliance against COVID-19 (HPAAC) has asked the government to subject China’s Sinovac Biotech to country’s health technology assessment process amid the Food and Drug Administration’s pronouncement that the CoronaVac vaccines were not recommended for health workers.
The HPAAC said with the limitation imposed by the FDA recommendation on Sinovac, “we are now placed in a quandary on who should be prioritized to receive the 600,000 donated doses of Sinovac.”
“Should it be the healthcare workers who are first on the list of the National Vaccine Prioritization Program, or should it be other groups deemed more suited for the same by FDA? HPAAC is of the opinion that the only way to break this dilemma is to subject Sinovac to the health technology assessment process in accordance with law,” it said in a statement.
Senator Ralph Recto questioned on Wednesday the need to grant a P500-million indemnity fund to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), saying the state insurer has enough money in its coffers to compensate those who will suffer from the possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccines.
MANILA, Feb. 15 The Palace on Monday, February 15, 2021, underscored that the reopening of traditional cinemas is set on March 1, 2021 and is still subject to consultations with the local chief executives of Metro Manila and to the guidelines that will be crafted by the concerned implementing agencies and the local government units (LGUs) of the National Capital Region.
“Ngayon po ang status nito, ang pagpapatupad po ng pagbubukas ng sinehan kung matutuloy po ay Marso a-uno,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr.
The Palace official added that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) respects the position of LGUs with regard to the reopening of the cinemas adding that consultations with local chief executives have to continue before cinemas reopen, “Nirerespeto po ng IATF ang posisyon ng ating mga alkalde lalong-lalo na dito sa Metro Manila. Kaya nga po sa Resolution nakasaad po yun, ito po ay magiging epektibo matapos po ang mga guidelines na ii-isyu ng mga lokal na pam