News
Introductory Course on Social Health Insurance Held -
November 21, 2008
THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) recently conducted a two-day training program entitled "Introductory Course on Social Health Insurance," for delegates from the Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). The course was jointly organized by the PhilHealth Training Institute (PTI) and the International and Local Cooperation Department (ILCD) and was sponsored by the World Health Organization.
Among those who attended the two-day course were Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Khamhoung Heuangvongsy, Dr. Khampeth Manivong, Acting Director General of Department of Planning and Finance; Dr. Amone Sirivong, Director of Provincial Health Office of Luang-Prabang; Dr. Bouaphat Phonvisay, Acting Director of Health Division Planning ang Finance; and Dr. Laddavanh Sengdara, Technical Staff on Health Insurance.
The course had lectures on the basics of social health insurance in the areas of program implementation, funding development, information technology development, quality assurance, advocacy and promotions and benefits development and research. Speakers included Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary Octavino Q. Esguerra, Vice Presidents Ruben John A. Basa and Dr. Shirley B. Domingo, and Managers Walter Bacareza, Mario S. Matanguihan, Linda B. Laureta, Chona S. Yap, Dr. Narisa Portia Sugay, and Ma. Sophia B. Varlez.
The participants expressed their appreciation of the course design, saying the topics were very useful to them. They have also requested for a copy of the PTI's curriculum and are planning to send ten (10) more participants to PhilHealth's courses through a grant from the French government. They also invited PhilHealth's IT and Actuary experts to visit Lao and help them start their program.