PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008

LINGAYEN---The provincial government’s health care program got another shot-in-the arm after a covenant was forged by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr, Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, Pangasinan mayors and committee on health chairman of the various Sangguniang Bayan at the closing rites of the recent two-day Pangasinan Health Summit at the Oxford Hotel in Clark, Pampanga.

The signing of covenant firmed up a multi-sectoral commitment to address the health care needs of the people in Pangasinan, particularly the marginalized sectors.

The pledge underscores “the need of political will for vital reforms in health sector and the importance of synergy and multi-sectoral efforts to address critical health reforms at all levels as well as to provide quality, equitable and accessible health services especially the disadvantaged and underprivileged Pangasinenses.

Earlier, the LGUs have expressed their support to implement the health sector reforms and development program as indicated in the Provincial Health Summit Plan of Action.

With the theme “Good Governance Leads to Good Health, Good Health is Governance,” the summit has served as a venue of all provincial officials, local executives, municipal health officers, non-government organizations, and other health stakeholders “to discuss various health concerns affecting local residents.”

The summit was also aimed at building partnership among the different sectors toward a sustainable health program; identify health gaps and discuss strategic interventions needed to address these health gaps; align and synchronize priorities; share good practices for replication.

The holding of the summit is in support of the Department of Health’s FOURmula One for Health, a roadmap for health reforms from the national down to local levels via effective service delivery, governance, financing and regulation in joint undertaking with the European Commission (EC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (Merly R. Tibalao/PIO)