The Provincial Health Board approved a series of resolutions aimed at improving healthcare financing, medical services, and public health programs during its 7th Provincial Health Board and Provincial Nutrition Council meeting on Friday, July 31, at the PGO conference hall.
Gov. RV Evardone, who chairs the board, presided over the meeting attended by six of its 10 members.
Among the measures approved was the reactivation of the province’s dormant Special Health Fund (SHF) Account under Provincial Health Board Resolution No. 7, Series of 2026.
The board also approved the transfer of ₱12 million from the Common Health Trust Fund to the Provincial SHF Account, a move that will still require the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The board likewise adopted the local essential medicines list as the official guide for the procurement, prescribing, and use of medicines across Eastern Samar’s province-wide health system, a measure expected to standardize pharmaceutical services in government health facilities.
The board also approved the 2026 work and financial plans of the province’s Inter-Local Health Zones (ILHZs) and discussed proposed amendments to the ILHZ Memorandum of Agreement, which will undergo legal review before implementation.
To further improve health services, the board endorsed the deployment of physicians to the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital and Felipe Abrigo Memorial Hospital in Guiuan through the Department of Health’s post-residency placement program.
The board also authorized Gov. Evardone to sign the deed of donation and acceptance for a portable X-ray machine donated by the Asian Development Bank-Health Sector Project to the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital, a move expected to enhance the hospital’s diagnostic capability, particularly during emergencies and disaster response.
Another resolution endorsed to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan seeks the enactment of a provincial ordinance implementing the Department of Health’s national policy on violence and injury prevention in line with Administrative Order No. 2025-0025.
With the approval of the resolutions, the Provincial Health Board reaffirmed its commitment to advancing healthcare reforms and ensuring that health programs remain responsive to the needs of communities across Eastern Samar. (TAC-JDM)
