THE Department of Health-Central Visayas (DOH 7) has already released 99.5 percent of the P1.850 billion intended for the One Coronavirus Disease 2019 (OCA)/Health Emergency Allowance (HEA) of healthcare and non-healthcare workers in the public and private hospitals in the region.
Except for the DOH hospitals, treatment and rehabilitation facilities, the money were distributed to the 1,657 qualified HEA beneficiaries from the 253 private and public health facilities for their monthly claims.
This is in response to the letter of United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP) dated September 28, 2023.
Of the amount, P558.4 million has already been released for the HEAs of 289 healthcare workers in private hospitals.
"Despite this progress, there remain 929 unpaid approved HEAs with 225 from private facilities. This amount is expected to increase as validation report is still ongoing," according to the letter signed by DOH Regional Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas.
The UPHUP filed a complaint against the DOH to the Anti-Red Tape Authority over the delayed disbursement of up to P5.8 billion in allowances for the more than 53,000 medical frontliners who served during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As justification for their complaint, the group gave reference to Republic Act 11032, also known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.
The UPHUP has 26 member hospitals.
The 129 healthcare facilities that chose not to join the union are said to have requested assistance from the group for the same reason.
According to the health department, the delay in the release of HEAs and OCAs was attributed to the hospitals and other health facilities' failure to submit their Covid-19 risk classification (CREC) reports on time.
It added that some hospitals and other health facilities had errors in their reports that needed to be fixed, which added to the delay in validating the reports and the release of funds.
"It has never been a conscious effort to delay the provisions of the HEA grants but, inasmuch as we intend to fast-track track release of the claims, we are equally bound to conform to the requirements of the pertinent guidelines and heed to the availability of funds from the DOH CO (Central Office) or the Department of Budget and Management," the DOH said.
It is said that the remaining HEA claims have been submitted to the DOH Central Office pending the approval of the Department of Budget and Management, including the request of other CHDs. (ANV/TPT)