Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate and Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said the Department of Health (DOH) should not impose additional burdens on local governments by constructing health centers but passing the responsibility for funding their operations to localities.
Binay said that while the national government focuses on building health infrastructure, it is left to the local governments to manage and fund these centers.
Coming from the perspective of a mayor, she said she understood why many LGUs are averse to Super Health Centers. “When a health center is built, the LGU will be the one to find a doctor, and nurse, and maintain the facility. Chances are, the municipality or LGU does not have that capacity.”
Binay called for a more consultative approach between the DOH and local governments.
According to Binay, the national government must ensure that the health needs of the people are addressed effectively, without compromising the financial stability of LGUs.
Binay also proposed a possible solution to the funding problem. She said that LGUs could form themselves into clusters and share in the costs of operating a super health center strategically positioned to be accessible to all cluster members.