THE Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Healthcare Sector vowed to collaborate with the government to enhance the country’s healthcare infrastructure and workforce.
In a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos in Malacanang, the officials discussed the critical nursing shortage through innovative and collaborative initiatives. The PSAC reported substantial progress in the Clinical Care Associates Program, the Enhanced Master’s Program, Bilateral Labor Agreements, and the Balik Nurse Campaign. The first batch of 457 Clinical Care Associates (CCAs) has been successfully matched to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) for board reviews, with exams scheduled in November.
“We appreciate President Marcos’ dedication to ensuring that our healthcare system is robust and capable of meeting the needs of our citizens,” said Sabin Aboitiz, PSAC Lead Convener and Aboitiz Group President and CEO.
Strengthening PhilHealth was another critical area of focus. The PSAC continues to support PhilHealth’s IT transformation, which includes digitization initiatives and collaboration with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the private sector. The goal is to realize the Integrated Health Insurance Digital Transformation Systems by Q1 2025. Updates on benefit packages, including a 30 percent increase in case rates and the expansion of the Konsulta Primary Care Provider Network (KPCPN), were also discussed.
The PSAC also underscored advancements in local drug manufacturing, particularly in producing anti-TB and anti-HIV medications. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is progressing with its digitalization efforts, targeting a 73.4 percent completion rate and ongoing efforts to achieve PIC/S and WHO accreditation. These measures are pivotal in ensuring drug accessibility and safety for the Filipino population.
President Marcos expressed confidence that the one-year Nursing Master’s program would help address the shortage of nurse instructors, while also emphasizing the need to focus healthcare training on other fields as the nurse shortage begins to ease.