Manila: A five-year project aimed at improving health services and boosting the country’s ability to respond to health emergencies will commence in 2025, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) approved the PHP27.9 billion budget for the Health System Resilience Project (HSRP) on Wednesday.
The HSRP will focus on building climate-resilient provincial health systems, strengthening health emergency response systems and advancing digital health transformation in 17 provinces.
Three are in Luzon (Isabela, Masbate and Sorsogon); three in the Visayas (Iloilo, Bohol and Leyte); and 11 in Mindanao (Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao Del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Maguindanao del Sur).
The NEDA also approved the one-year extension of the implementation period of United States Agency for International Development – Development Objective Grant Agr
eement (USAID-DOAg) for Improved Health for Underserved Filipinos.
The USAID-DOAg addresses major health challenges on logistics, access to medicines and the shortage of qualified health professionals in underserved areas.
It also aims to improve healthcare services delivery in critical health concerns, including tuberculosis, family planning, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and other public health programs.
Its primary objectives are to strengthen healthy behaviors, fortify the quality of health services delivery and institutionalize key public health systems.
Apart from the extension until Sept. 30, 2025, the NEDA thumbed up the expansion of the project’s coverage from 13 regions to 17 in order to close the gaps in family planning and in the delivery tuberculosis services; support ongoing DOH health initiatives; and transition health activities to the new USAID – Philippines Umbrella DOAg.
The additional regions are Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa and Cordillera Administrative Region.
Source: Philippi
nes News agency
