TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Aug. 11 (PNA) -– The partnership of the provincial government with the private sector has improved the implementation of the health programs and at the same time increased the income of the province.
The province employed its public-private partnership (PPP) program to support its four inter-local health zones, wherein cities and municipalities are grouped with one core referral hospital each for better coordination in terms of emergency response and service delivery.
Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said the local government has collaborated with private hospitals to strengthen mother and child care, as well as the implementation of the Department of Health’s (DoH) Service Delivery Network (SDN) program for improving the maternal and infant mortality ratio.
The initiative is in line with the provincial government’s compliance with the nationwide Universal Health Care High Impact Five (UHC-HI-5) program, which is DOH’s strategy to swiftly meet targets for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4, 5, and 6.
MDG 4 is anchored on reducing child mortality, MDG 5 is for improving maternal health, and MDG 6 covers combating HIV/AIDS(Human Immuno Deficiency Virus/Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome), malaria, and other major diseases.
Through the program, the province reduced malnutrition rate to 4.76 percent from 4.86 percent in 2013 to 4.83 last year, sustaining its crown as a Consistent Green Banner Awardee and a Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition.
The PPP also significantly increased the income of the three Davao del Norte hospitals (Kapalong, Carmen and Samal Zones).
Del Rosario disclosed that the partnership increased the revenues of the three provincial hospitals amounting to Php 63 million.
“The increase of the income of our provincial hospitals largely contributed in the P153 million total local revenues of the Province in 2014,” del Rosario said.
Aside from raising the revenues of the hospitals, the governor said PPP resulted in faster processing of laboratory specimens, prompt management of patients, better maintenance and cleaner hospital environment, as well as, effective infection control. (PNA)