DOH budget for 2008 has been increased by no less that 50%, Sec. Duque says

By Philippines Information Agency (PIA 8)
March 26, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The budget of the Department of Health for this year has been increased by 50-55% over that of last year, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III informed the local media in a press conference held on March 24, at the La Rica Hotel here.

Secretary Duque said that the health budget has been increased because President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants to continue the upgrading of the hospital in the provinces in order to be of better service to the local people.

With the upgrading of the provincial and district hospitals, the people will already get immediate medical attention right there in their respective areas. This will mean that the people will no longer spend so much money and time before they could be attended to medically, he said.

The common ailments like colds, fever, deliveries are supposed to be attended to in the primary and secondary hospitals in the various provinces, the Secretary said. This means that the people need not come to Tacloban to be treated for common ailments anymore.

As a result of the budget increase, the budget of the Regional Offices will also be increased, Secretary Duque said. A portion of the budget increase could be used to purchase medicines and hospital supplies, he added.

The revelation came after one member of the local media informed the Secretary that the patients in the Region’s tertiary hospital are required to buy their own medical supplies like cotton, needles, and medicines before they are attended to at the emergency ward.

Although, the Congressmen give the tertiary hospital a certain amount from their PDAF, these funds could not be touched by the hospital without endorsement by the Congressman concerned.

The Secretary was surprised upon knowing the information. He said he will look into the matter although he said he realized that the budget of the government hospitals for supplies and medicines is also limited.