DOH-CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) recently conducted a “Collaborative Meeting with Development Partners” to commit a coordinated effort and define strategies for overcoming the critical challenges in the operation and management of health facilities in the region held in Pasay City.
The purpose of the meeting was to familiarize health partners in the current health situation in CALABARZON and build a consensus among partner agencies in formulating strategies to address the shortage in health human resource in the operation and management of health facilities.
Among the identified gaps were inadequate hospital staff, unfilled vacant positions, multi-tasking, excess duties, performs beyond job description, no trained personnel to complement available equipment and inadequate capability for patient transport.
Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo said that the region will introduce tactical stop gap measures for immediate implementation.
He cited the need for immediate output and outcome to address these insufficiencies. By adapting the whole of government approach, such as working with a unified goal, complementing and in concurrence with health services organizations, the academic sector and the health authorities.
“We can place the right people in the right places, achieving an equitable distribution of health professionals and skill sets throughout all geographic areas of the region,” he added.
According to the Health Facility Operations and Development Unit (HFODU), as of 2017, the province of Cavite has only 63 physician, 202 public health nurse (PHN) and 343 rural health midwife (RHM); Laguna has 88 physicians, 157 PHN and 411 RHM; Batangas has 48 physicians, 111 PHN and 341 RHM; Rizal has 84 physicians, 155 RHN and 193 RHM; and Quezon with 67 physician, 120 PHN and 440 RHM.
“We are in need of 391 doctors, 1,233 midwives and 25 more nurses to achieve the priority human resources development goal and to guarantee quality health services for all of the population,” Janairo emphasized.
There is a total of 65 government health facilities and 149 private hospitals in CALABARZON.
Cavite has a total of 11 public and 45 private hospitals; Launa has 15 public and 39 private hospitals; Batangas with 15 public and 34 private; Rizal with 8 public and 16 private; and Quezon has 16 public and 15 private health facilities.
“Health personnel is a key factor in achieving universal health care. An adequate human resource will ensure the implementation of any health care program,” Janairo added.