Iloilo City, UK ink better health drive

Iloilo City Government’s health initiatives have gotten boost with help of United Kingdom.

This, after British Ambassador Daniel Pruce and Mayor Jerry Treñas virtually signed a Better Health Programme (BHP) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UK and City Government Sept. 17.

“The MOU supports strengthening of local public health system. It is a great milestone that underlines enduring linkages between UK and Iloilo City, and deepens our partnerships with LGUs in the Philippines,” British Embassy Manila stated on its Facebook page.

The MOU kicked off the implementation of UK’s Global BHP in the country until 2022.

Adopting a sub-national level approach in engaging with the government, six areas have been identified for implementation: Panay Island; Oriental Mindoro, Tarlac and Leyte provinces and cities of Pasig and Cebu.

BHP focuses on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), promotion of digital health and legislative and capacity-building support for the implementation of the recently-passed Universal Health Care law.

Both parties seek to cooperate under common interests anchored on UK’s Global BHP which forms part of Prosperity Fund (PF).

PF is a strategic development assistance fund of UK government allocated to high impact, multi-year programs in countries that have potential for inclusive growth and market development.

“The Global BHP aims to address growing burden of NCDs such as heart disease and diabetes. It also aims to strengthen local health system structures by creating systems to improve quality of care,” according to its website www.gov.uk.

 

SISTER CITIES DEAL

Meanwhile, Iloilo and Quanzhou, Fujian Province in China have sealed sister cities deal.

This, after Mayor Jerry P. Treñas and Quanzhou Mayor Wang Yongli virtually signed the “Agreement between Iloilo City, Philippines and Quanzhou City, China on the Establishment of Friendship City Relationship” Sept. 16.

‘We agree to make concerted effort, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, to promote people-to-people friendly contacts and economic and trade interflow, and actively carry out exchanges and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, culture, sports, health, education, personnel, police services, etc.,” the pact reads.

The sisterhood has been strengthened when Quanzhou delegation visited the city earlier and met with Chinese-Filipino community here for stronger ties.

Quanzhou also donated 10,000 face masks and 100 thermal scanners to City Hall in August.

The partnership paved way to consolidate and develop friendly cooperation between the two cities, and through friendly consultations have reached agreement on establishment of friendship city relationship.

This is in accordance with the principles of Joint Communique on establishment of diplomatic relationships for the purpose of promoting mutual understanding and friendship between Filipinos and Chinese. (Iloilo City PIO)