News & Updates
DOH performance report cites 66 percent ART coverage in 2022
In a circular issued by the Department of Health dated August 3, the DOH disseminated its FY 2022 Year-End Agency Performance Review Report (APRR). The circular, which was meant to aid in the dissemination of the APRR, enclosed the Department of Budget and Management memorandum dated July 14, 2023, and signed by its secretary, Amenah F. Pangandaman.
In the APRR, "Percent of People Living with HIV on Anti-retroviral Treatment (ART)" was among the DOH's outcome indicators related to access to promotive and preventive health care. The indicator had an annual target of 95 percent, but its year-end accomplishment amounted only to 66 percent. As explanation, under remarks, the following were stated:
"The 95% target was set by the Joint United Nations Programme on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) / Acquired Immunodeficiency [sic] Syndrome (AIDS) which the country adopted as a commitment to achieve the goal of ending AIDS epidemic by 2030. Hawever, according to the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic has also to be considered which affected the service delivery among others, which further contributed to new infections.
"Thus, the accomplishment is dependent on diagnosis coverage. If people living with HIV are not reached through HIV testing, this target will not be achieved. Stigma, including self-stigma, and discrimination hinder the access to HIV testing, treatment, and care serices.
"As an Action Plan, the DOH aims to implement the differentiated testing and treatment guidelines issued in 2022. Strategies to facilitate enrolment to treatment and retention to care such as case management will be strengthened to prevent loss to follow-up."
The DBM memo also enclosed the APRR for the Philippine National AIDS Council as an agency attached to the DOH. Even when PNAC's physical performance exceeded its targets, the agency only utilized 60.94 percent of its 2022 budget of 36,089,000 pesos. The unfilled newly created positions in PNAC, and the activities that were shifted to online platforms mainly attributed for the under-utilization.
Download PDF copy of DC No. 2023-0354, "Dissemination of FY 2022 Year-End Agency Performance Review Report of the Department of Health and Attached Agencies" dated August 3, 2023. The circular is also archived under TLF Share's RESOURCES section.
