Senator Panfilo M. Lacson is urging the Department of Health (DOH) to fast-track the release of much-needed funds for district hospitals.
Lacson on Tuesday also pushed for the devolution of the budget for the government’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) from the DOH central office to local health units.
Lacson said local government unit officials he has talked to have expressed concerns that funds for district hospitals in their areas are still lodged with the DOH central office.
“District hospitals are unmanned or do not have enough facilities because the DOH is sometimes slow in downloading or procuring equipment for district hospitals. There is no true service in district hospitals as a result,” Lacson said.
Lacson proposed that local units should be able to procure the needed facilities for district hospitals and even provincial hospitals.
From the 2022 budget, he said the government should itemize and earmark funds for the HFEP and even personnel that will man the district hospitals.
“Funds are needed especially in the poorer provinces,” Lacson said.
Lacson also maintained that this will also address the DOH’s unused appropriations. “What is happening now is that the DOH has a huge unused appropriation,” he said.
Senator Francis Tolentino, who heads the Senate local government panel said he agrees with Lacson.