Kalibo, Aklan - The provincial government of Aklan is seeking funding for its five-year health plan aimed at providing sustainable quality health services in the province.

Provincial Health Officer (PHO) I, Dr. Victor Santamaria said the province-wide strategic provincial
health plan, otherwise called the Provincial Investment Plan for Health (PIPH), is in line with FOURmula One (F1) for Health, an umbrella program covering all USAid-funded health programs in the country.

"The investment plan until 2013 requires funding of some P800-million for the next five years,” Santamaria told reporters here recently, adding that “the bulk of these funds will be from foreign supporters and donors that would most likely support health programs to be adopted by Aklan.”

Santamaria said Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez will present the health investment plan on September 9 in Manila to convince the appraisal team of foreign funding institutions.

Developing the provincial health plan, he said, is integral in improving the delivery of health services particularly to address maternal and child care, nutrition, malnourishment, breastfeeding and other health problems.

"The PIPH reflects the strategies, health initiatives and key interventions of the provincial government
in the delivery of basic health services to the communities with possible grants from the Department
of Health," Santamaria added.

In Aklan, the USAID supported the Provincial Health Office (PHO) in presenting the PIPH to the Southwest Aklan mayors to secure LGU budget for its implementation, and to the Provincial Health Board and Sangguniang Panlalawigan for endorsement of the PIPH to Centers for Health Development 6.

The provincial planning team was informed about two basic strategies designed to increase internal resources for PIPH, that is, local revenue as well as working for allocation for health either through automatic earmarking or through the regular budget or extra-budgetary resources in support of health-related activities.