Negros Oriental reports gains on Formula Health 1 program

DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 27 (PNA) -- Negros Oriental has posted a 70-percent accomplishment of the Formula 1 for Health program of the Department of Health (DOH) that is funded by the European Commission (EC).

Dr. Raul Villanueva, Local Reform Coordinator for Technical Assistance of the EC, said Negros Oriental has showed positive performance in the implementation of the F1 for Health program.

The F1 program is implemented in partnership with the local government units in attaining the target goal of reducing the mortality rate caused by diseases in the community and anchored on the Millennium Development Goals.

Dr. Villanueva said the F1 for Health is a five-year contract of the DOH-EC program wherein Negros Oriental is one among the sixteen convergence sites in the country.

Negros Oriental started implementing the program in 2006 but the funding arrived only sometime in 2007 although some preparations on education, information and documentation were already accomplished.

The EC grant is allocated for the improvement, construction of civil works and purchase of new health equipment.

Every year, EC allocates P24 million for the implementation of the different F1-related projects in the province.

The provincial government of Negros Oriental also allocated P10 million as counterpart fund that is being used for the capacity component of the program.

The project will end in December but there is a chance it could be extended, Dr. Villanueva said. (PNA)
LAP/jfp/Maricar Aranas