THE Department of Health (DoH) on Wednesday revealed its plan to build a nationwide network of modern primary care facilities that would benefit 28 million indigent Filipino families.

"The idea of this is like the out-patient clinics in public hospitals or in malls. The goal is to decongest public hospitals. As we all know, most of the complaints there is the long queueing time due to lack of primary care services in the area," Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a news conference on Wednesday.

MODERNIZING PRIMARY CARE Secretary Teodoro Herbosa leads the press conference in Pasay City on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, on the modernization plan of the Health department, particularly in the primary care sector. PHOTO BY J. GERARD SEGUIA

He added that the initiative, called Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Sevices (Bucas), was based on the DoH Modernization for Health Equity framework established during the 2nd National Health Sector Meeting from January 29 to February 1.

Herbosa said Bucas facilities, which would be built adjacent to existing state properties like state universities and colleges, would serve as extensions of government hospitals.

Each would be equipped to conduct primary care services like immunization, as well as nutrition and diagnosis for children, pregnant women and senior citizens.

"I was advised not to neglect those in the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. Luckily, we already have a proposal to the World Bank, and it will lend us money to extend our primary care services to 250 barangay in far-flung areas. The screening process has already started, and we have seen a lot [of barangay] who wanted to be included in the priority list," Herbosa added.

He said that the initial plan is to open 28 Bucas facilities nationwide.

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