In a determined effort to enhance and expand healthcare services for the residents of Davao Oriental, Governor Niño Uy expressed his strong optimism for the swift integration of Universal Health Care (UHC) into the province’s healthcare system. The governor shared his vision during the 4th Provincial Health Board Regular Meeting held today, December 17.
The meeting followed a presentation by Dr. Reden Bersaldo, Provincial Health Officer, who delivered a feedback report on the Universal Health Care Implementation Benchmarking conducted in South Cotabato. The latter is among the few provinces in the Philippines that have successfully implemented UHC.
The Universal Health Care system ensures that citizens have easy access to quality health services without financial hardship. It covers critical aspects of healthcare, including disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care. UHC also promises zero co-payments for basic or ward accommodations in public hospitals, automatic PhilHealth membership for eligible beneficiaries, and fixed co-payments for non-basic admissions in public hospitals.
Among the key strategies proposed for UHC implementation in Davao Oriental are:
- Enacting a Health Systems Integration Ordinance to unify the province-wide health system.
- Establishing Health Care Provider and Primary Care Provider Networks to streamline PhilHealth services and benefits.
- Implementing Special Health Fund Operations to optimize resource allocation for health services.
The Provincial Health Board also recommended forging a Memorandum of Agreement between the Provincial Governments of South Cotabato and Davao Oriental. This partnership aims to facilitate technical resource sharing and knowledge transfer to guide Davao Oriental in crafting its integration ordinance and UHC implementation strategies.
Governor Uy encouraged all stakeholders and local government units to fully support the initiative, emphasizing its transformative impact on the lives of Davao Oriental residents. He highlighted the importance of removing financial barriers to accessing basic health services.
“I am committed to the implementation of the Universal Health Care in the province, and I look forward to taking proactive actions now so we can start the implementation early next year. We really need to prioritize the health sector here in Davao Oriental,” the governor stated.
In line with this commitment, the Provincial Health Board, chaired by Governor Uy, unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the draft ordinance for Province-Wide Health Systems Integration to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for further action.
This initiative marks a significant step toward achieving comprehensive and inclusive healthcare for all residents of Davao Oriental.