Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte has proposed giving more funds to the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health (DOH) to provide better service to the community.
The Bicol representative also said in addition, more funds for the facilities will prevent existing and future super health centers “from becoming empty, dust-filled structures that sometimes end up being used only for card games and drinking sessions.”
Villafuerte suggested to DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa–during a recent Commission on Appointments hearing–that the annual DOH outlay for its HFAP needs a sizable bump so local government units that run super health centers are assured of sufficient funds to acquire
top-grade medical equipment and pay for the salaries of doctors, nurses and other staff in these clinics.
Herbosa agreed with Villafuerte that HFAP reforms are necessary to improve the delivery of health services to the public, including changes in the state procurement system so it will no longer be mandatory for the government to purchase through public bidding the cheapest equipment that are of inferior quality and not the best ones available in the market.
Super health centers are better versions of rural health units and medium-type versions of polyclinics, and are meant to decongest hospitals especially in the provinces.
