TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Government James Edduba reported that his administration has put a premium on health during his first 100 days in office with more funds allocated for the province’s healthcare systems and facilities, and services made more affordable for the poor.
In his First 100 Days Speech on October 10, 2022, the city chief executive said PhP50 million has been appropriated for the continuation of the Kalinga Children’s Ward (KCW) and vowed that he will do everything to see the project to completion.
“The KCW will have diagnostic center, commercial units, private wards, dengue and gastro wards, crib neonatal wards, isolation rooms and semi-private rooms, a multi-purpose hall, conference hall, health offices, storage facilities, doctor’s lounge, and nurses’ quarters,” he said.
“The construction of the Kalinga Children’s Ward was conceptualized and started during the administration of former Governor Jocel C. Baac. Ti maikari tayo, saan tayo nga sardengan daytoy nga proyekto inggana nga malpas,” he added.
The governor also said that PhP10 million was allocated for the procurement of 100 units of hospital beds, two operating room lights, and other equipment for the Kalinga Provincial Hospital (KPH) while another PhP6 million was set aside for the procurement of a brand-new standby generator.
“Last Saturday, October 8, 2022, we have concluded the soft opening of the three-story, 26-bed capacity on free ward while 16 beds on the private wards of the Operating Room and Delivery Room Complex,” he continued.
He expressed his gratitude to Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito who had chaired the Senate’s Committee on Health that appropriated the initial funding of PhP83.3 million for the construction of the Operating Room and Delivery Room Complex back in 2019.
Emphasizing the need to make quality healthcare accessible to the poor, the official said they have “started implementing the ‘No Balance Billing Policy’ including the free rapid antigen test, which means no out-of-pocket expenses for indigent patients at KPH.”
Dialysis at the St. Mary’s Kidney Care at the KPH is now also completely free, the governor said.
Governor Edduba mentioned plans to further improve the province’s healthcare services including the establishment of a permanent office for the Malasakit Center, a one-stop-shop center for medical and financial assistance provided by various agencies, and the establishment of the province’s own Blood Bank.
“Also, as part of the restructuring, we will prioritize the creation of additional plantilla positions for KPH to enhance human resources, with the corresponding capacity development for a more reliable workforce. In the meantime, together with the Provincial Human Resource office, we hired additional job orders from 120 to 180, to augment our workforce at KPH,” he said.
The governor said the province’s health system “have attained 93% completion of the Key Result Areas for the preparatory Component of the Maturity Level Assessment Tool required by UHC Law.”
“Kayat na saw-en, asidegen nga ma-kumpleto iti preparation tapnu ma-integrate iti probinsya tayu ti [Universal Healthcare] Law,” he said.
Health is one of the topics on which the governor reported his accomplishments in his First 100 Days speech and State of the Province Address.
