PHL, EU ink €36M health aid pact

The Philippines and the European Union on Friday signed a €36-million support pact for the country’s health program, aimed at improving the delivery of health services in key areas in the country.

The agreement is the second part of the Health Sector Policy Support Program (HSPSP) started in 2006 also with EU’s support.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, EU Ambassador Alistair MacDonald and representatives from EU member states were present during the signing.

“The HSPSP II represents the continuation of EU’s support to the Philippine health sector and will contribute to upgrading the health condition of the country’s populations,” the DFA said on its website.

According to Romulo, the second HSPSP is expected to help in implementing the government’s Health Sector Reform Agenda, which involves developing local health systems and the reform of the country’s hospitals, public health programs and social health insurance.

“The European Union has been very supportive to the government’s commitment to promote gender and human rights. This support is reflected in the continuation of this health support program. We are grateful for this support,” Secretary Romulo said during the signing ceremony.

The first €33-million HSPSP was signed by Romulo and EuropeAid Cooperation Office Director Erich Muller in Brussels in May 2006, and is set to end this month.

It covered the 16 provinces of Ifugao, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Agusan del Sur, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Misamis Occidental, Biliran, Capiz, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte and Negros Oriental.

“Progress in health status [in the Philippines] has slowed down during the 1990s, leaving the country behind neighboring countries. There is progress in child health, but major issues such as maternal mortality, which is still far above that of comparable countries, need to be addressed,” the EU said of the first HSPSP on its website.

“This situation can in part be attributed to the overall inequity and inefficiency of the Philippines health system in terms of both financing and service delivery arrangements, partly resulting from the devolution of responsibilities for health care provision to local governments brought about by the Local Government Code,” it added.

Last year the EU also said one important health policy reform would be the implementation of a comprehensive national policy on family planning and increased access to family planning methods.

It had also urged the government to pass the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, saying that rapid population growth in the country is draining its health resources.

The DFA, however, did not say if part of the recent grant from EU will be allocated for reproductive health programs.—Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV