Project News

Last September 13-14, 2016, the Project and DOH-CAR conducted an orientation workshop on Inter LGU collaboration and Service Delivery Network in the Province of Abra especially in the remaining non-target municipalities of the province.

Local government units of the provinces of Benguet and Apayao and six municipalities in Abra agreed to strengthen health governance and financing through Inter-Local Health Zones (ILHZs) in a move to support the Department of Health's (DOH) "All for Health Towards Health for All" program.

The rest of the 21 municipalities in Abra, meantime, are set to establish their own ILHZs by end of November 2016.

The ILHZs envision quality, equitable and accessible health care services in a well defined geographical area participated by local leaders, health care providers and individuals. The partnership includes sharing of personnel and resources such as medicines and transportation.

In the six target municipalities in Abra, 2 ILHZs, DOLASAN (Dolores/Lagangilang/San Juan) and VPP (Villaviciosa/Peñarrubia/Pilar) were established through the JICA Maternal and Child Health Project in 2012. Since then, they have formulated effective referral systems, set-up common Heath Trust Fund for the ILHZ's activity, and shared their transportation and personnel during emergencies. Meetings are held on regular basis, inviting the local chief executives, to discuss work and financial plans, to monitor the situation of referral and quality of health services. Said efforts resulted in increased facility-based delivery rate from 73% in 2012 to 97% in 2015.

During the recent orientation-workshop on Inter-Local Government Units collaboration and Service Delivery Network held in Banguet, Abra, the experiences and learnings of DOLASAN ILHZ were shared among remaining 21 municipalities. The Department of Health-Cordillera Administrative Regional Office under the technical assistance of the JICA MCH Project led the activity. Participants included LGU health officials and nurses.

"It is essential that we collaborate with other municipalities because of our resources limitation like personnel, because we only have one ambulance to cater more than six thousand population," according to Dr. Althea Gabaoen, the Municipal Health Officer of Luba (one of the remaining 21 municipalities).

She added that two or more municipalities can enter into ILHZ even without sharing of funds and will operate within the concept of Service Delivery Network. Thus, the health care providers from adjacent municipality will deliver the services for others nearest to the community.

(Left photo) In 2012, there were only two (2) active ILHZ in the province of Abra, namely DOLASAN and VPP ILHZ. These two ILHZ were harnessed by the Project together with DOH-CAR and its respective LGUs by conducting numerous trainings and provided (birthing) equipment. With the expansion plan of the project, additional ILHZs in the province (right photo) were formulated and will be established by the end of 2016.