The Department of Health (DOH) signed the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) for the National Policy on the Promotion and Protection of Health in Jails, Prisons, Custodial Facilities, and Other Places of Detention in the country with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Justice (DOJ), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
This endeavor highlights the health challenges faced by Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) as well as the roles of various National Government Agencies in caring for them.
Congested detention facilities expose PDLs to different communicable diseases and mental health conditions.
Congested detention facilities expose PDLs to different communicable diseases and mental health conditions. This highlights the need to address these health challenges while ensuring humane safekeeping by detention authorities.
“The Philippines is committed to protecting, upholding, and promoting the right to health of detainees without discrimination,” Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said.
The policy mandates a health-protective and health-promotive detention environment that reduces PDL disease risks. It ensures comprehensive and responsive health services, and adequate financing, human resources, and information mechanisms to support healthcare for persons in jails, prisons, and other places of detention.
It aligns with two of the Department’s 8-Point Action Agenda – Bawat Pilipino, ramdam ang kalusugan, Pag-iwas sa Sakit, that both aim to ensure health-promoting and health-protecting environments and accessible healthcare services. Both primary and specialty care are also contemplated in all places of detention.
“Collaboration among health, security, justice, peace and order, public safety, and local government sectors is essential.”
“Collaboration among health, security, justice, peace and order, public safety, and local government sectors is essential to ensure the protection of the right to health of PDLs, detention authorities, and the general public from health risks and threats. UHC aims to ensure that all Filipinos are health literate, provided with healthy living conditions, and protected from health risks – dahil sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawat Buhay Mahalaga,” Herbosa concluded.
