THE Public health advocacy group Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA) yesterday pushed for the creation of an independent government agency that will focus on health promotion and preventive care.
The proposed National Health Promotion Board “will not only guarantee continuity in the work already accomplished by the Department of Health – Health Promotion Bureau (DOH-HPB) but also provide institutional stability, sustained expertise, dedicated resources, and a stronger more focused mandate for prevention of chronic illnesses and other negative health outcomes,” Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, HPA lead convener, said in a statement.
Tan also said an independent institution “can be a catalyst in steering national agencies, local government units, and communities to work towards a healthier society and prevent non-communicable diseases.”
Tab said health promotion is among the most cost-effective, high-yield investments the government can make in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs), reduce health care costs, and improve quality of life.
“We must remember: NCDs continue to weigh heaviest on Filipinos, robbing them of both their savings and their years of life,” he said.
He said this is why his group supports the proposal of Rep. Jet Nisay, of the Pusong Pinoy party-list group, for the establishment of a National Health Promotion Board “that can concentrate on preventive care and stronger health promotion.”
A report from the World Health Organization shows NCDs cost the Philippine economy P756 billion in losses annually.
On the other hand, an investment for NCD prevention at P28.9 billion in a span of 15 years can generate up to P377.7 billion in returns and save 350,000 lives.
