Factors Influencing the Quality of Health Care Provisions on Local Government Units

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue VIII, August 2018 | ISSN 2454–6186

Factors Influencing the Quality of Health Care Provisions on Local Government Units

John Paul R.Tumampus¹, Mary Jane J. Romero ², Ma. Angela P. Espinoza ³, Olive Chester Cuya-Antonio⁴

¹Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital, Cabanatuan City, Philippines
²Department of Education, Division of Nueva Ecija, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
³Tradoc, Philippine Army
⁴Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Gen. Tinio St., Cabanatuan City, Philippines

Abstract – This study addressed the problem of determining the services provided by the RHUs in the municipalities of Aliaga, Licab, and Quezon and the factors that influence the delivery of these services. With the use of the descriptive method and employing a set of questionnaire, it was revealed that the three municipalities provide primary health care services but lack facilities for Level 1 hospital. Further, the factors of inadequate facilities, personnel complement, and unsound fiscal management affect the delivery of health care services to the residents in the municipalities concerned. From these findings, it was recommended that there should be a policy of the lead agency, the Department of Health, to prescribe penalties for the local governments to at least compel them to achieve the least requirement for healthcare provision. The healthcare services should be insulated from political control for it can be used as a tool for political gains. Finally, this study should serve as a reference for future studies on health care, particularly for rural communities.

Keywords: healthcare, rural health, health facilities, health care services, local government unit

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Background

The health care system of the Philippines has evolved tremendously through the numerous challenges it had encountered. With the inception of decentralization in 1991 and the implementation of the Local Government Code, much of the power was vested on the fragile shoulders of local leadership. Most healthcare service expenditures have been devolved in these sub-national governments though licensure regulations, other public goods like immunization and control of communicable diseases are retained in the Department of Health.

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