Officials from the Bohol local government units and the provincial government led by Gov. Erico Aumentado (center, front row) during the MOA signing on Inter-LGU Cooperation for Bohol Provincewide Health System. (PIA Bohol)
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado has signed an Inter-Local Government Unit Cooperation in line with the implementation of the national government’s Universal Health Care.
The memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by Aumentado and all Bohol mayors.
Under the MOA, the provincial government and the LGUs will contribute funds, resources, and property to integrate health systems with the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government, and Philippine Health Corporation (Philhealth) for the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act.
The agreement includes the setting up of a Special Health Fund (SHF) to be managed by the Provincial Health Board.
Integrating the healthcare system with the provincewide health system allows a pooled health system through the SHF, with each local health unit creating a sub-ledger in their trust funds account for the augmentation of the health expenditures.
The MOA mandates the LGUs to continue appropriating for personnel services, capital outlay, and the maintenance and other operating expenses for the health facilities in their areas.
In the provincewide health system, the provincial government through the Provincial Health Office improves the geographical accessibility of health facilities and services and improves road conditions, transport, and communications for medical and surgical emergencies.
The municipal governments are now integrating their health plans in line with the provincial health plans based on their unique health situations while managing their municipal and primary health care facilities, said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez.
The inter-LGU cooperation is in response to the need to adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development in providing goods and services to the people, especially the underprivileged, sick, elderly, women, children and the disabled, for them to be fully responsive.
Lopez said the inter-LGU cooperation ensures strengthened collaboration linkages between Bohol and its LGUs through generation, mobilization and allocation of resources for the improvement and sustainability of an efficient health care system.
This will also fast track the accessibility of basic and quality health products and services and upgrade health facilities and services based on existing Department of Health and PhilHealth standards.
“It is also envisioned to strengthen LGU leadership and management capacities to organize and implement integrated management support systems for policy directions and possible future technical support,” added Lopez. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)
