Dr. Ma. Paz Corrales, OIC Assistant Regional Director of DOH RO VI, notes the importance of statistics in implementing health programs and services.
IN celebration of the 26th National Statistics Month (NSM) held every October and the 2nd World Statistics Day, the Department of Health-Regional Office VI (DOH RO VI) led all participating government agencies and academic institutions in Iloilo City in promoting the importance of statistics in assessing the country’s progress towards achievement of health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“Better data, better lives,” stressed Hon. Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, Board Member of PhilHealth’s Health Care Providers’ Sector. Baraquiel graced the opening ceremonies held October 6 at the RDC Hall of NEDA Regional Office VI in Iloilo City.
Data is vital in identifying the priority health needs in the community and to ensure a health care that is efficient, effective and compassionate, she added.
Dr. Ma. Paz P. Corrales, OIC Assistant Regional Director of DOH RO VI, shared that the Health department remains committed to improve the poor’s access to quality health care. Part of this is the conduct of the Kapit Bisig para sa Kalusugan Pangkalahatan (KB para sa KP). This engages government owned and operated hospitals to complement the efforts of the DOH in achieving health-related MDGs and providing access to quality hospital and health care facilities.
Through the KB para sa KP, medical and surgical caravans were extended to people in Iloilo and Negros Occidental who are included in the National Household Targeting System (NHTS) list of poor households.
Dr. Corrales said that data is very important to guide health care providers in planning, targeting and implementing need-based health programs and services.
This year’s NSM’s theme is “Pagyamanin at Gamitin ang Estadistika, Kalusugan para sa Lahat ay Abot-Kamay Na.”