MANILA — The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Department of Health (DOH) for various delays in the implementation of P1.505 billion worth of infrastructure projects under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP).
The HFEP provides funding assistance for infrastructure and equipment of government health facilities nationwide, with the aim of improving the delivery of basic, essential and specialized services. A total of P83.365 billion was invested from 2010 to 2016 to upgrade, rehabilitate and construct health facilities.
But COA said P1.188 billion worth of infrastructure projects were not completed within the contract timeframe, while P291.748 million worth of completed infra projects were found to be unutilized.
Concerned DOH agencies include Regions V (Bicol), VI (Western Visayas), and XI (Davao Region) offices, as well as the Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) in Quezon City, Bataan General Hospital (BGH), and Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC).