MANILA, July 16 — A Department of Health (DOH) official on Sunday said the agency is just following the marching orders of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to “love and take care of the poor” through TSeKaP (Tamang Serbisyong Kalusugan sa Mahirap na Pamilya).
In the launching of “Kilos Sambayanan” held in Delpan, Tondo, Manila, DOH Undersecretary Dr. Gerardo Bayugo said the marching order was one of the highlights of the discussion between President Duterte and Secretary Paulyn Ubial last year.
“Because of that, DOH had formulated the 12 Legacies of the Health Department,” said Bayugo as he narrated the first interaction between the President and Ubial when the latter was chosen as Health chief.
TSeKaP services aim to ensure that the poorest 20 million in the country have access to health services and interventions so that their minor conditions will not worsen.
“Dapat lahat naeeksamem — dugo, sugar level, cholesterol, bukol, bingot — para mabigyan kalutasan agad ang problema sa kalusugan na di na dapat pinapalala at pinapatagal,” the Health official said.
He added that as part of the continuing campaign to bring the services closer to the people, Bayugo said this year the DOH is targeting 40 million in the lower end of the socio-economic hierarchy who are in need of similar health intervention.
In all these TSeKaP services, he said the DOH is partnering with Barangay Health Workers (BHWs).
“BHWs ang tunay na bayani ng ating bansa. Katulong po natin sila sa pagsasagawa ng TSeKaP para kung sakali kailangan ng gamot, tutulong din sila matustusan yung maintenance drugs ng mga diabetic, may alta presyon at iba pang pangangailangan pangkalusugan katulad ng pag-oopera kung may bukol ka at pag-oopera kung meron ka mga goiter na dapat operahan,” he explained.
He said that the conduct of TSeKaP is part of fulfilling the promise made not only to the President but also the Filipino people under the battle cry of “All for Health towards Health for All” where everyone’s participation is needed.
“Kung hindi po naming kayo katulong hindi po naming makakamit ang ating minimithi na kalusugan para sa lahat,” Bayugo added.
Under the 12 Legacies of the health department for 2016-2022, it aims towards accessible, equitable, quality health services for all Filipinos with special focus on the poor, the marginalized as well as the vulnerable population groups in response to the desire of the President.
Aside from “loving and taking care of the poor,” the Health chief has assured that all health programs are functioning efficiently and effectively and that resources of the government are used for the benefit of the people.
The 12 Legacies for Health includes the following:
First, universal insurance coverage-meaning all Filipino wherever they are, whoever they are, are covered by National Health Insurance Program (NHIP);
Second, blood adequacy program — to attain blood donation of at least 1 percent of the total population;
Third, ensuring zero unmet need for family planning and universal access to reproductive health;
Fourth, to reverse the HIV-AIDS epidemic, meaning that instead of an increasing trend with HIV-AIDS, we have a decreasing trend of new cases of HIV-AIDs;
Fifth; to ensure that all Filipinos have access to health services 24/7 wherein the agency wants to deploy at least one health worker per barangay;
Sixth, zero open defecation — ensure that all Filipinos have access to sanitary toilets facilities;
Seventh, is to ensure that our per capita expenditure on health is actually increasing where government and private sectors invest on health;
Eight, to reduce out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) for health wherein the way to do it is actually to ensure efficient use of health insurance coverage;
Ninth, ensuring good data for decision-making;
Tenth, reducing malnutrition particularly stunting wherein the partner on the said initiative is Rise Against Hunger by providing supplemental meals for pregnant women as soon as they are identified in nutritionally-at-risk communities;
Eleventh, providing for community-based rehabilitation program — wherein community is involved in rehabilitating drug dependents but is also involved in preventing drug addiction and drug abuse;
Twelfth, ensuring quality management systems in all government hospitals to ensure that all Filipinos that go out hospitals are actually valued and cared for.
In giving the people the idea of how these legacies are to be fulfilled, health workers are deployed to conduct TSeKaP in the area of the activity so that those who have health concerns can have the necessary treatment interventions and knowledge to know that the government wants to ensure that its people will not be deprived of the quality health services as it find ways to link the different programs and services to allow the poor to improved their lives.
The aim of the launching of Kilos Sambayanan is to inspire the people to participate and access the different programs and services offered to them so that they can utilize them better as they strive to achieve changes and development wherein their basic needs can be meet such as : food and land reform; water; shelter; health; education; work; social protection; healthy environment; peace; and participation.(LSJ/PNA)
