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JV Ejercito bats for funding for specialty healthcare centers in key regions

August 30, 2023

Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito on Monday expressed his support for the proposed budget of the Department of Health (DOH) for the expansion of specialty healthcare centers across the country.

During the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing on the health agency’s budget, Ejercito said the DOH’s budget request for the program will be necessary in implementing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize the strengthening of the country’s specialty healthcare centers.

“One of the priority programs of this administration is the establishment of specialty centers, which was even mentioned by the President during his first SONA and inaugural address. This is a very welcome development,” he said.

“But my concern is that we know for a fact that this will entail costs, not only in infrastructure, not only in medical equipment, but also in personnel that is needed – doctors, specialists, healthcare workers, nurses, et cetera,” he added.

DOH Officer-in-Charge Dr. Maria Rosario Vergiere reported that specialty healthcare centers have already been in major hospitals in several key regions:

●       Regional heart specialty centers: Northern Mindanao Medical Center, Batangas Medical Center, and Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center. 

●       Regional lung specialty centers: Bicol Regional Teaching and Training Hospital and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center

●       Regional kidney specialty centers: Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, Bicol Medical Center, and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center

●       Regional cancer specialty centers: Batangas Medical Center and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center

Vergiere said the health department needs around P2.23 billion to fund infrastructure for the establishment of new specialty healthcare centers.

Ejercito then asked the DOH to prioritize certain regions in ensuring that all sub-national areas in the country have convenient access to a variety of specialty healthcare services.

Health Undersecretary Dr. Lilibeth David said technical working groups have been organized to specify the specialty healthcare that needs to be developed in each region.

Ejericto recently filed Senate Bill No. 161, which seeks to establish specialty healthcare centers in every region.

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