SANTA CARES: Making People Smile

Health Governance
The revolution on global health dates back more or less fifteen years
ago. With the emergence of the Millennium Development Goals of the World
Health Organization, all sectors were called to assess the landscape of global
health governance, assess the capabilities of all sectors, and recommend
more effective strategies for policy implementation. Albeit the municipality
had meagre funds to support these proposed programs of the WHO, local
leaders had committed their efforts to address the critical issues and attain
the success of global health governance.
In the local level, new programs and initiatives emerged. The Mayor,
MHO together with the DOH/DMO who acted as their coach attended the
Municipal Leadership Governance Program provided by the DOH and the
Zuellig Foundation. It built the capacity of leaders to establish universal
health care & sustain equitable health programs that will benefit the poor. It
also motivated them and strengthened the LGUs health governance
capability to set direction in addressing identified gaps. The result has
tremendously changed the gaps from non-conforming to conforming results
and strengthened local health systems in the municipal level.
Established an expanded Local Health Board
It has integrated barangay leaders, community volunteers, GAs and
NGOs. This serves an avenue for all sectors to raise suggestion and
resolve issues on health.
Cascaded information
The fruits of the program was not only enjoyed by the municipal level
but also cascaded to its 26 barangays. They attended the Barangay
Health Leadership and Management Governance Training to likewise
address the health gaps in their level.
LGU has awarded barangays last December in recognition of their
contributions in the improvement of health outcomes in the
municipality as a whole.
Strengthened Health Cooperation
The program enabled our leaders to forged partnership with the
various hospitals such as the GSGH, CIDH, and MMHC for the PHILHEALTH
Point of Care Program. Five pharmacies in Santa, Vigan, and Narvacan, Ilocos
Sur were partnered for the implementation of the Medicine Voucher Program.
The Philippine Red Cross Ilocos Chapter for the implementation of Blood
Services Program and Disaster Management Program. These can be
exclusively availed only by residents of Santa.

Health Service Delivery

Challenges in health service delivery are inevitable. These challenges
may include our dilemma on how to deliver quality health services costeffectively and equitable to all. With the great determination of the local
leaders and its mandate to better healthcare, the hereunder were achieved:
Improved RHU /District Health Center
Affordability is the main reason why patients prefer to consult at the
RHU but local leaders initiated means to improve and give quality
health care at par with private health providers. The newly renovated
RHU now caters patients with improved facilities and amenities. At
present, the RHU is accredited by the DOH/PHILHEALTH as a TSEKAP,
TBDOTS and a BEMONC/NBS health facility offering its free services to
all sectors of the locality operating 24 hours. It has also a secondary
laboratory fully equipped to conduct laboratory examinations including
free HIV/AIDS testing. Dental service is also open 3 times a week.
Hydration therapy and ECG are also offered at the Unit.
Added well trained health human resources
Creation and hiring of permanent medical technologist and 2 midwives
were done to enhance the LGUs health services. Furthermore, the LGU
hired 10 district nurses/midwives, 2 drivers and dental aide on a
contractual appointment primarily to cater services in the
communities.
Aside from the DMO acting as health adviser of the LCE/LGU,
overseeing the adoption and implementation of DOH thrusts, the
agency had deployed , 6 NDPs, 3 RHMPPs, 1 PHA ,1 dentist, and 1 UHC
implementer. The strong partnership between the LGU and DOH
assures the achievement of Kalusugang Pangkalahatan, Hi5 projects,
NHTS and other priority programs of the National Government.
Several trainings were conducted to capacitate HHR in delivery of
better health services.
Acquisition of new ambulances
In 2015, 2 new land ambulances aside the old one and 10 bangkas
were purchased to address the demands and needs of people in the
highway and isolated coastal barangays. These are 24/7 available

coupled with HHR trained in ambulance and rescue operations

including disaster response.
Hospitalization Assistance Voucher Program, Medicine Voucher
Program, and PhilHealth Point of Care Program
These programs are considered as one of the Best Practices of the
LGU. These were made possible by a harmonious partnership with
hospitals and pharmacies. It aims to eliminate the long process of
availing financial assistances from the LGU. Under the agreement, the
hospital or pharmacy accepts guarantee payments issued by the LGU.
Onwards to ISO 9001:2008 accreditation
Santa aims to standardize the management of its services, the 1 st LGU
in Ilocos Sur; the RHU is geared towards quality management system.
Health Technology /Information
Technical initiatives by the DOH to help RHU ease paper works and
deliver prompt service to its patients, the Wireless Access for Health (WAH)
was adopted. LGU invested in IT considering its benefits, and the first
municipality in Ilocos Sur to avail the same, the 99 th site in the country. This
is a tangible effort to achieve timeliness and efficiency of quality health
services and data management. The RHU is looking forward to its Level 3
system.
Updated health information can be accessed thru Municipal /BHS
Health Data Boards.
Health Financing
The LGU had used variety of financial mechanisms to carry out its
mandate to address health inequities. It has increased its local health budget
to 15% and barangays were enjoined to do the same at 5%. Full
implementation of Magna Carta of PHWs was also realized. PHILHEALTH
capitation was utilized based from identified needs in consonance to its
Internal Rules & Regulations.
Public/private partnership with GOs, NGOs and other stakeholders was
also done to attain LGUs health vision. The partnership strengthened the
capability of its laboratory and helped the LGU in its conduction of several
medical/dental/optical missions, initiation of free cataract screening &
operation, Pap smear, disaster/rescue trainings, addressing needs of PWDs
and feeding programs to schools.