Go fully backs DOH 2023 budget

MANILA, Philippines — There is a need to further strengthen the country’s health care system to better meet the needs of the Filipino people.

Sen. Bong Go, Senate committee on health and demography chairman, expressed full support for the 2023 budget of the Department of Health (DOH) during Thursday’s deliberation as he commended the additional funds for cancer treatment assistance and hiring of immunization vaccinators to strengthen the country’s immunization activities.

He also reminded the DOH to expeditiously implement Republic Act 11712, or the Public Health Emergency Benefits and Allowances for Health Care Workers Act sponsored by Senate finance committee chair Sonny Angara, to provide health care workers and frontliners with added benefits and compensation.

“I am sure the good sponsor, Sen. Pia Cayetano, would agree that we must properly compensate our health workforce without delay. As far as I know, there are still a number of health care workers and frontliners that were not given (this compensation) for 2021 and 2022,” Go said partly in Filipino, as he called on the DOH and the Department of Budget and Management to work on it.

Go also requested the DOH to guarantee sufficient funding for its health facilities enhancement program and the continuation of funding for the “super health centers” to improve access to primary care facilities.

“The super health center is a medium version of polyclinic which already has birthing facilities, laboratory (and can cater to) emergency cases if a hospital is too far away,” he pointed out in mixed Filipino and English.

Go also noted that the affordability of health care is just as crucial as easy access to health care facilities as he mentioned RA 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act, which he sponsored for the creation of a one-stop financial aid center for indigents.