In partnership with the Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital and urban design and architecture company, Nikken; we are pleased to announce a new IHF Awards category to recognize outstanding performance and achievements of healthcare institutions, particularly hospitals in promoting sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives for people and the planet. More information about this new award will be available soon.

Dr. Frank Chan, chief manager of integrated care programs at the Hong Kong Hospital Authority, was co-presenter of the presentation titled “Demographic Profile and Service Utilization of the General Outpatient Clinic Public-Private Partnership Programme Participants in Hong Kong” at the 43rd World Hospital Congress of the International Hospital Federation (in partnership with the Ministry of Health of the Sultanate of Oman) last 6 to 9 November, 2019 in Muscat, Oman.

Article is in Filipino, translation in English here:
To cope with the closure of numerous hospitals affected by the eruption, the DOH has set-up mobile hospitals. These mobile hospitals can currently manage minor surgeries such as cesarean section, appendectomy and normal birth delivery. They also deployed 17 medical teams in various affected municipalities; allocation of tents to separate infectious patients, provide mental and psychosocial support and control of water sanitation.
Most evacuees complain of eye and upper respiratory infection due to the ashfall. A number of evacuees also experience diarrhea due to contaminated water. 

Outlines AHHA’s position on climate change and health, including a recommendation for a National Climate Health and Wellbeing Strategy, as developed by the Climate and Health Alliance in partnership with AHHA and other health organisations.

The Philippine Hospital Association has always been guided by its mission statement, Lead, Enable, Assist and Protect (LEAP) hospitals towards quality service.

With the ever-increasing demands for participation and involvement of the PHA in the various activities and concerns of the concerned government agencies and other Non-Government Organizations., the need for more empowerment of its PHA Chapters nation-wide have become a necessity. This, to better cope and awaken the voice of the silent majority, especially on legislative issues affecting healthcare operation.

For the ensuing year, the PHA intends to establish a new Committee whose function shall be to tango to the sound of the soon to be implemented Universal Healthcare Act and ensure that no hospital members are unduly disadvantaged by any differences in interpretations in its implementations by the Local Government Units in the numerous provinces and cities in the Philippines.

The Philippine's Department of Health (DOH) holds the over-all technical authority on health. It is the country's national health policy-maker and regulatory institution. It is mandated to develop national plans, technical standards, and guidelines on health. Aside from being the regulator of all health services and products, the DOH is the provider of special tertiary health care services and technical assistance to health providers and stakeholders.

A significant DOH agency supports the attainment of its mandate to take good care of the healthcare of the population. The National Health Insurance Program was established and created the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) to provide health insurance coverage and ensure affordable, acceptable, available and accessible health care services for all citizens of the Philippines. It serves as the means for the healthy to help pay for the care of the sick and for those who can afford medical care to subsidize those who cannot. Through the years, it has expanded progressively and presently, with the passage early 2019 of the Universal Healthcare Law, now plays a significant role, along with the Local Government Units (province-wide and city-wide), in providing accessible, affordable and worry-free healthcare for the entire population.

L.E.A.P. – the acronym for Lead, Enable, Assist and Protect. LEAP is a powerful word that encapsulates the brand that propels the leadership and general membership of the Philippine Hospital Association (PHA) as it navigates the wide universe of healthcare.

The PHA is a 70-year old organization of healthcare providers from the government and private sectors in the 7,107 islands of the Philippines. It is composed of nearly 2,000 hospitals. A not for profit and non-stock entity, its views and voices are much sought after and enjoy the recognition of the various agencies of the government as well as the lawmaking bodies of the land from both the Congress and the Senate.

At the moment, in its Platinum Year, I sit as the organization’s 13th President. Certainly, it gives me much pride to be part of the important page in the history book of the organization.