DPH denies suspension of preventive-care programs

While the world commemorated Dec. 1 as World AIDS Day, there was no report of any event increasing an awareness campaign to prevent the spread of the dreaded disease.

The lack of the usual commemoration of World AIDS Day comes in the heels of reports about the purported suspension of some preventive care programs by the Department of Public Health, which denied yesterday the suspension of any public health program due to budgetary reasons.

However, while Deputy Secretary for Public Health Pete Untalan made the categorical denial, he also conceded that there had been “funding oversight” that would have resulted in the suspension of certain preventive care programs had it not been for the department’s efforts.

“DPH, recognizing the potential problem and the importance of prevention, addressed the funding oversight and initiated a meeting with OMB [Office of Management and Budget] to establish mechanism to prevent any suspension of our NCD [Non-Communicable Disease] prevention programs funded by the revenues generated by the ‘sin tax’,” Untalan said.

“Because of our diligence and the assistance provided by the director of OMB, we averted any suspension of our preventive programs but continue to maintain the programs utilizing both federal and local funds to address the health issues but in the interest of longer term/permanent solutions, we would seek assistance from the incoming Legislature and administration to restore the funding of the critical prevention programs through the ‘sin tax’ process,” he added.

In a written statement, Untalan admitted that there were “funding issues” concerning funds coming from sin taxes that had been appropriated by the Legislature through Public Law 14-80.

Untalan said the funds had been allotted for the renovation and construction of the Kagman Community Health Center, Northern Wellness Community Center, and health projects on Rota, among other government projects.

Earlier reports said, though, that some funds of the $5.1 million reprogrammed by Gov. Juan N. Babauta in connection with his emergency takeover of the Commonwealth Utilities Corp. include those allotted for certain health programs.

The Department of Finance document submitted to the Legislature in July showed that some $940,814 were reprogrammed from the Tobacco Control revenue.

Of that total amount, some $226,485 pertained to the Diabetes Control and Prevention Program; $67,960, CNMI Cancer Registry; and $47,398, Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program.

The Finance Department document also showed that funds for other health-related programs formed part of the reprogrammed funds for CUC.

Some $387,897 were taken from the DPH Environmental Sanitation’s fund; $355,553, Community Guidance Center; $25,131; Division of Public Health Program; $50,261, Children’s Health Insurance Program; $128,461, Commonwealth Health Center; and $178,047, Board of Nursing Examiners.

On Tuesday, CHC medical affairs director Robin Shearer, a board member of the Commonwealth Cancer Association, disclosed that the suspension of cancer-related health programs has raised a lot of anger from community members, including cancer survivors.

Shearer had expressed concern over the reported suspension of the cancer-related programs, saying that it would be pointless to wait for people to get incurable diseases before they happen. He said about 75 cases of cancer are diagnosed at the CHC yearly, and explained that some diseases, such as cervical and prostate cancer, are curable upon early detection.

On Wednesday, though, Shearer said he was “asked to amend some points” regarding his Tuesday statement, but he did not name who asked him to do so. Shearer said that the CHC continues to provide pap smear and mammogram services to patients.

He said the cost of those services for patients who would have qualified under the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program would be shouldered by the government-run hospital, but added that no person administers the current program provided by the hospital.

Besides purportedly suspending the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program, the Public Health Department has also suspended the Cancer Registry Program, according to Shearer. The Diabetes Prevention and Control Program also reportedly faces funding problems.