Rehab centers to get adequate support from DOH, Ubial tells House panel

Drug treatment and rehabilitation centers will receive full support and funding from the Department of Health (DOH), Dr. Paulyn Jean B. Rosell-Ubial said during a probe by the House committee on health.

Ubial made the remarks before the committee hearing on the DOH's capability to manage drug treatment centers, animal bite clinics, and provide public oral health care.

Ubial said that each DOH regional office is equipped with a standard operating manual for drug treatment and rehabilitation.

Clinics also have access to DOH funds for their operation and training of local government health workers and personnel, but none for capital outlay and maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE).

"We’ve asked the local governments to submit their proposals, as we are requesting that these proposals be funded through the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) funds,” Ubial said.

Local governments must also provide their own fund to run rehabilitation centers as counterpart funding.  Surrenderees meanwhile will go through assessment to ascertain their capacity to pay.

"So there are some who are providing payment and there are those who are free of charge because of their indigent status,” Ubial said.

The health secretary added that 600 animal bite centers are available in the country and have vaccine animal bite victims can obtain without the need to share the cost with a partner.

“There is no need at this point for animal bite victims to save or minimize on the vaccination cost. In the DOH budgets for 2016 and 2017, the fund for post exposure prophylaxis for human rabies is covering 100 percent of the requirements for all animal bites victims in the country,” Ubial said.

Animal bite victims and those in need of oral health check-ups are also covered by the Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth).

“The DOH is providing for a total of 265 dentists who will accompany the dental vans we have procured in 2016. They will be providing prophylaxis and also treatment, fissure sealants to school children and eventually for the entire population if the supplies last,” Ubial explained. —NB, GMA News