P300M in DOH mobile clinics, medical equipment unused —COA

More than P300 million worth of mobile dental clinics, agency vehicles, and other equipment purchased by the Department of Health for 2016 have remained idle, a Commission on Audit report shows.

A report by GMA News' Tina Panganiban-Perez on "Unang Balita" on Thursday said that more than P43 million worth of idle mobile clinics distributed in the National Capital Region and the Caraga Region last year were unused.

"The HFEP Mobile Dental Vehicles of P43.450 million distributed to various facilities in NCR and Region XIII-CARAGA were un-utilized/defective thus, exposing these properties to deterioration," the COA report says.

Also, more than P240 million worth of equipment and DOH vehicles have also remained unused. 

DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag on Thursday said that the mobile dental clinics are placed under the responsibility of the local government upon turnover.

He, however, noted that some local government units return the mobile clinics due to lack of resources.

"'Pag ibinigay namin 'yan, ibig sabihin niyan, sila na ang bahala sa maintenance, kasama na yung gasolina, kasama na yung magda-drive nito at saka yung mga dentista," Tayag said.

"Naibigay na namin, kaya lang nabalitaan namin na hindi nagagamit kasi wala silang dentista. So kailangan may kasunduan na, sandali muna, sa amin lang yung mobile dental [clinic] pero dapat yung dentista sa inyo na," he added.

Tayag said the DOH has been sending contractual and volunteer dentists to allow some LGUs to operate the mobile clinics.

"Para makasiguro na ginagamit nila yan, hinihingan namin sila for the year ng mga dental missions nila." 

Nonetheless, Tayag acknowledged the findings in the COA report.

"Tama naman yung COA, malaking pera na ang ginugol hindi man lang nakikinabang ang mga kababayan natin. So may sagutin kami, ayaw namin maghugas ng kamay." 

In a separate item, the COA report found that infrastructure projects worth P1.5 billion under the DOH's facilities enhancement program have remained either unfinished or un-utilized, causing delays in delivering health services to the public.  —Joseph Tristan Roxas/LBG, GMA News