Leyte signs MOA with LGUs for creation of Inter-local Health Zones

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
September 15, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The Provincial Government of Leyte is scheduled to enter into an agreement with the municipalities in the province for the creation of inter local health zones, to work together more closely in addressing the health situation of the community.

The LGUs in Leyte will organize themselves into Inter-Local Health Zones that will integrate the implementation of the Department of Health’s Fourmula One health reform strategies or Four-in-One Convergence sites with the support of GTZ.

Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho L. Petilla said that the signing of the agreement will be on September 15-16, 2008 in Manila where the local chief executives will visit an LGU facility with an exemplary health practice so they will gain some insights.

In the MOA signing program, DOH Region 8 Director Teogenes Baluma will welcome the participants while Undersecretary of Health Mario Villaverde, Undersecretary of Health David Lozada, Dr. Michael Adelheart, program manager of GTZ Health, and Governor Petilla will deliver their respective messages.

Short presentations on Local Health System, Inter-Local Health Zones Region 8 Experience and Provincial LGU Scoring System will be done by Director Juanito Taleon, Dr. Paula Paz Sydiongco and Dr. Edgardo E. Daya, respectively.

Dr. Lesmes Lumen, the Chairman of SP Leyte Committee on Health, will present the Memorandum of Agreement, afterwhich, the Inter-Local Health Zones MOA signing will be done by Governor Petilla, the participating LCEs, Director Baluma and the representative of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

Tanauan Mayor Roque A. Tiu, the president of the Provincial League of Mayors will deliver the pledge of commitment, in behalf of the participating local chief executives.

Inter-Local Health Zones, managed by a governing board and technical management committee, is an inter-LGU cooperation that improves and coordinates all local health systems. It is where health reform initiatives are planned, developed and implemented.

Within the framework of the Philippine health sector reform initiative “FOURmula ONE for Health,”  the Department of Health is working with its partner, the GTZ, towards establishing a functional infrastructure with local health care services, including continuous assessment of their work; introducing and implementing programmes for sustainable population management, along with fair and transparent programme financing; supplying affordable pharmaceutical products, in particular to the poor; and advancing the national social health insurance scheme.