Building Bridges in Healthcare: Aklan’s Bold Steps Toward a Patient-Centered Future
Insights from the Field
On March 27, 2025, key health leaders from across the country convened at the Bayang Malusog Community of Practice (CoP) session. The event brought together provincial representatives to share progress, challenges, and best practices in building better healthcare systems.
Among the speakers was Dr. Leslie Ann Luces Sedillo, Aklan’s Provincial Health Officer II. She shared several difficulties the province faced before the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law.
Aklan has one Level 3 hospital—the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital (DRTMH)—while most of its other hospitals are infirmaries. This makes it hard for many residents to get the care they need. Delays in national funding also create problems, slowing down the delivery of medical resources. On top of that, frequent changes in healthcare guidelines make planning and implementation harder for local officials.
Despite these obstacles, Aklan is making strong progress.
Creating Local Health Zones
In 2019, Aklan started to set up six, previously four, district health zones. These zones aim to bring healthcare closer to people’s homes, making services more accessible and well-funded.
Improving Health Facilities
To make these districts work, Aklan is boosting its healthcare workforce. Each district must have key professionals, such as health managers, pharmacists, and medical technologists. Birthing centers and upgraded information systems are also being added to improve service delivery. This setup allows primary care facilities to handle basic needs, while hospitals focus on patients who need more complex care.
Smart Use of Special Health Funds
Aklan uses a 70-30 budget system—70% goes to operational costs, while 30% supports health worker incentives. The province has also made agreements with neighboring areas to serve patients from outside Aklan, showing their commitment to inclusive care.
Aklan is laying a strong foundation for a healthcare system that puts patients first. Still, better information-sharing between facilities is needed. Improving how health centers communicate will help ensure patients get the right care at the right time.
By continuing to build these bridges in healthcare, Aklan is leading the way toward a future where all residents—no matter where they live—can access quality, patient-centered care.