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Ailyn Agonia
Doha
LOOKING after the health needs of migrant Filipino workers is among the top priorities of the Philippine government, said Philippine Department of Health (DOH) Secretary HE Paulyn Jean B Rosell-Ubial.
During the official's meeting with community leaders in Qatar held at the Philippine Embassy Doha on Sunday, she presented the Philippine health agenda highlighting the formation of a comprehensive programme that ensures that Filipinos including those overseas have access to quality health services.
"I have developed a unit in DOH called Medical Travel Programme which not only takes care of medical tourists but also overseas Filipino workers. Our ultimate goal is achieving universal healthcare wherein Filipinos are protected and have access to quality health services wherever they are. We want to put the programme in place by 2022," Ubial said.
The Filipino official also detailed the framework of her country's health agenda which includes provision of universal insurance coverage, service delivery network and essential packages of health services.
She also underscored the commitment of the Philippine's current administration to introduce health interventions such as those related to family planning and reproductive health, addressing the prevalence of tuberculosis and programmes addressing malnutrition.
"Family planning is part of the 10-point economic agenda of this administration because for so long family planning and reproductive health in the country has been relegated to the background because it is controversial. But the current administration feels that it's a very important health and economic intervention. We also plan to expand the newborn screening from five disorders to more than 20 disorders which we hope to be included in the national health programme. The good news is that for the first time in Philippine history our (health sector) budget is higher than the defence budget. The top budget goes to education, followed by public works and highway and then health," the official added.
Talking about the relations of the Philippines with other countries in the field of health, she assured the community of her office's commitment to look after the welfare of Filipino health professionals working abroad. She also mentioned the possibility of opening up the Philippines for international students programme in the field of medicine.
"We are talking to the Philippine Regulatory Commission and the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges because of the clamour from local universities and colleges to launch the Philippines for international medical students as well as residency programme," the official said.
Ubial also lauded the proposal to build a Filipino hospital in Qatar which she said would bring their services closer to nationals abroad.
The first Filipino hospital project will kick off with the opening of one of its proposed polyclinics somewhere on the D-Ring Road in 2018. The team behind the initiative is already in talk with potential investors for the second phase of the project which is the establishment of a main hospital.
