The Iloilo Provincial Government in collaboration with the Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (SHIP), hosted the Provincial Assembly and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on February 27, 2025 at Smallville 21 Hotel in Iloilo City.
The PsySE-HCPN initiative aims to expand the coverage of programs that provide psychological, social welfare, and socioeconomic support for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and other Key Populations (KPs).
The provincial assembly allowed key stakeholders to discuss current barriers and facilitators to accessing mental health and social welfare services while the MoU aimed to strengthen the commitment between SHIP and the three main agencies of the province—the Provincial Health Office (PHO), the Hospital Management Office (HMO), and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).
A pilot implementation of the PsySE-HCPN initiative will commence in the following weeks, with RISE Clinic in Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial Hospital in Guimbal and MOCHA Clinic of Calinog Rural Health Unit as the pilot implementation sites.
The main goal of the pilot implementation is to gather research evidence evaluating the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of PsySE which will guide its future province-wide scale-up.
“Addressing HIV goes beyond medical treatment—it requires a supportive ecosystem that acknowledges the psychological, social, and economic challenges faced by PLHIV. This initiative will be a game-changer in Iloilo Province,” said Rod Olete, PsySE-HCPN Program Manager of SHIP.
This initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to improve comprehensive and universal health care provision for PLHIV and other KPs, ensuring no one is left behind.
(Hospital Management Office)
#PsySEHCPN #HIVAdvocacy #HolisticHealthcare #SupportPLHIV