by Jocelyn P. Alvarez
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA 9) - - With common denominator of improving health services to the people of the region, Department of Health (DOH) with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and 14 Local Government Units (LGUs) from all over Region 9 and Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) converged as one to bring health services a level higher.
This Public-Private-Partnership boiled down to the birth of Zamboanga Health Alliance (ZHA) with the above agencies and corporation to work tough “to harmonize concerted efforts and endeavor of all partners to enhance and improve the infrastructure in the locality, governance of LGUs, quality of social and health services and document the good practices of the alliance,” explained DOH Regional Director (RD) Aristides Tan.
In the ZHA, each member-agency has corresponding role and function to deliver. DOH for instance takes care of health services like providing technical assistance in terms of logistics augmentation, training of LGU health staff, provide financial grants, coaching, monitoring, evaluation and mentoring services while the DSWD handles the social welfare and development aspect, the ZFF in providing trainings while the LGUs on infrastructure, service quality improvement, good governance and improve transparency and accountability, enumerated Dr. Tan.
The DOH RD elaborated; mayors, municipal health officers, municipal social welfare officers, municipal planning and development officers and selected community leaders from the 14 LGU-partners (of the ZHA) will undergo series of trainings that will contribute to better and enhanced delivery of health services in their respective area.
The 14 LGUs regarded as beneficiaries to the health programs of the ZHA include Mutia, Siayan, Kalawit, Gutalac, Labason, Vicenzo Sagun, Bayog, Dumingag, Tungawan, Payao, Katipunan, Sergio Osmeña, Tampilisan and Manuel Roxas. (JPA/ /PIA-ZBST)