REP. Brian Yamsuan (PL, Bicol Saro) yesterday vowed to refile a bill that seeks to empower the Department of Health (DOH) to increase the bed capacity of public hospitals.
Yamsuan said refiling House Bill (HB) 1565 or the proposed DOH Bed Capacity and Service Capability Rationalization Act, which he co-authored, would be among his priorities if he is elected as representative of Paranaque City’s second district in the May 12 midterm elections.
He noted that with the country’s population now almost 110 million, the ratio of one hospital bed for every 1,000 persons is way below the ideal ratio set by the World Health Organization (WHO) of three beds for every 1,000.
He said the current practice of increasing the service capability of DOH-supervised hospitals through legislation “is a tedious, drawn-out process that could take years, which further contributes to the delay in addressing the problem of the worsening shortage of beds in public health facilities.”
The former assistant secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said allowing the DOH to adjust and approve the bed capacities and service capabilities of its retained hospitals is more efficient, as it already has the Philippine Health Facility Development Plan (PHFDP) for 2020 to 2040 in place.
“This 20-year blueprint aims to guide the government in effectively investing in health infrastructure, which includes filling the shortage of hospital beds in public hospitals,” Yamsuan said.
While Congress tries to move as quickly as it can to pass laws that would improve the delivery of affordable and quality healthcare, Yamsuan pointed out that the legislative process still takes a lot of time.
“While Congress is already tackling the need to increase the bed capacity of DOH-run hospitals, the problem continues to worsen, especially in DOH hospitals outside Metro Manila,” he said.
Yamsuan said this is why the DOH should be given the authority to increase the bed capacity and include it in its funding requirements under the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA) instead of going through the process of legislation.
The DOH, he said, should then submit an annual report to Congress, through the House Committee on Health and the Senate Committee on Health, detailing the approved bed capacities of its retained hospitals, along with the necessary funding requirements.
“Since it is the DOH that has the expertise to determine the urgent needs of our healthcare system, it should have the power to evaluate the status of hospitals under its control, and approve the changes and improvements that need to be done,” Yamsuan said.
