DOH, UP ink deal for better health care for PGH patients

The UP System on Wednesday agreed to meet head on the challenge by the new Department of Health (DOH) leadership to share with the entire country its vast reservoir of  knowledge, expertise, and skills to further improve the health situation of every Filipino.

UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla described the tie-up, formalized by a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed Wednesday, as a “momentous partnership” that is not only between the DOH and the UP System but also “between the UP System and the Filipino people.”

“The UP System, through the UP Manila, is a constant, dependable, and reliable partner of the national government, and the DOH in particular, in giving much-needed medical and health services to the Filipino people through the decades,” Padilla said.

The newly signed MOA provides for the procurement of modern life-saving equipment initially amounting to P150 million for the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

In her first major speech before the UP System as acting DOH secretary, Janette Garin described the entire UP System—particularly the UP Manila-Health Sciences Center and the PGH—as “one of the national government’s best machinery to efficiently and optimally deliver public and community health care services to millions of under-privileged and under-served Filipinos.”

Every year, the PGH provides health services to more than 500,000 patients, a significant percentage of which are underprivileged.

As of 2013, the PGH has almost 11,000 trainees, composed of doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. It is considered as the country’s premier tertiary training hospital.

“Today’s signing of the memorandum of agreement is another milestone in the partnership that will benefit not only the Philippine General Hospital but also the national health system,” Padilla said.

In her speech, Garin called on the UP System to share their expertise, knowledge, skills, and influence to the entire country, specifically to improve the health care delivery.

“One of the priority health programs of the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino, III is to optimally improve the health condition and situation of the Filipino people by providing financial assistance to various health- and medical-related programs,” she said.

“Today, through this memorandum of agreement, we witness the rebirth of the re-energized DOH-UP System partnership in improving the lives and health of millions of Filipinos,” Garin added. —Ibarra C. Mateo/KBK, GMA News