Laws affecting practice of Public Health Nursing Public Health Nurse needs to know the laws affecting health

and nursing practice in the Philippines. As a health practitioner in a community setting, one must be familiar with the existing laws and standards that govern safe nursing practice.
Republic Act 6713 - Code of conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees o This code upholds a time honored principle that public office is a public trust. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence and uphold public interest. o Policy includes: Commitment to public interest Professionalism Justness and sincerity Political neutrality Responsiveness to the public Nationalism and patriotism Commitment to democracy Simple living Letter of instruction 949 Legal basis for the adoption of primary health care dated Oct. 19 1979 o Instructs the DOH and all officials and personnel of the department to design, develop and implement programs which will focus on health development at the community level particularly in rural areas Republic Act 7160 Local Government Code o general features include decentralization and local autonomy o the Local chief executive have the power over: Budgets for health, Implementation of programs Personnel appointment Executive Order 503 Provides for the rules and regulations implementing the transfer of personnel, assets, liabilities and records of national government agencies whose functions are to be devolved to the local government units. Republic Act 7305 - Magna Carta of Public Health Workers o has provisions on the benefits, rights and responsibilities of public health workers o Entitlement and protection: Discrimination is prohibited Understaffing and overstaffing not allowed Due process observed Normal hours of work, overtime pay, night shift dif, and salary scale Payment of salaries in legal tender

Hazard allowance Right to self organization Republic Act 6758 - Salary Standardization Law o Standardized the salaries of government employees which include the nursing personnel. Republic Act 7883 Barangay Health Workers Benefits and incentives Republic Act 2382 Philippine Medical Act o Practice of medicine by a Nurse During epidemics or national emergencies, Whenever services of duly registered physicians are not available Through special authorization given by the DOH and automatically ceases when epidemic is terminated Republic Act 1082 Rural Health Act o Called for the employment of more physicians, dentists, nurses, midwives and sanitary inspectors who will live in rural areas where they are assigned to help raise health condition of the barrio people Republic Act 9173 Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 o An act providing for a more responsive nursing profession, repealing for the purpose RA 7164 otherwise known as Philippine Nursing act of 1991 and for other purposes. It is an act declaring the policy of the state to assure responsibilities for the protection and improvement of the nursing profession instituting measures that will result in relevant nursing education, humane working conditions, better career prospects and a dignified existence for our nurses Republic Act 3573 - an act providing for the prevention and suppression of dangerous communicable diseases. It should be reported to the nearest health station and that any person may be inoculated. Republic Act 1891 amended RA 1082 in 1957. It strengthened health and dental services in the rural areas and created rural health units of eight categories of staffing pattern corresponding to population groups of municipalities to be based on a more equitable and scientific distribution on the radio of personnel to population. Republic Act 8749 Clean Air Act o Right of people to a balanced and healthful ecology o Promote and protect the global environment o State recognizes the principle that: Polluters must pay State recognizes that a clean and healthy environment is for the Good and concern of all

Rights of the citizens: o o o The right to breathe clean air; The right to utilize and enjoy all natural resources according to the principle of sustainable development; The right to participate in the formulation, planning, implementation and monitoring of environmental policies and programs and in the decision making process; The right to participate in the decision-making process concerning development policies, plans and programs projects or activities that may have adverse impact on the environment and public health; The right to be informed of the nature and extent of the potential hazard of any activity, undertaking or project and to be served timely notice of any significant rise in the level of pollution and the accidental or deliberate release into the atmosphere of harmful or hazardous substances; The right of access to public records which a citizen may need to exercise his or her rights effectively under this Act; The right to bring action in court or quasi- judicial bodies to enjoin all activities in violation of environmental laws and regulations, to compel the rehabilitation and cleanup of affected area, and to seek the imposition of penal sanctions against violators of environmental laws; and The right to bring action in court for compensation of personal damages resulting from the adverse

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Presidential Decree no. 825 requires penalty for improper disposal of garbage and other forms of uncleanliness. Presidential Decree no. 856 Code on sanitation o Provides for the control of all factors in mans environment that affect health including the quality of water, food, milk, control of insects, animal carriers, transmitters of diseases, sanitary and recreation facilities, noise, pollution, unpleasant odors and control of nuisance. Republic Act 9211 Tobacco Regulation Act o It is the policy of the State to protect the populace from hazardous products and promote the right to health and instill health consciousness among them. It is also the policy of the State, consistent with the Constitutional ideal to promote the general welfare, to safeguard the Interests of the workers and other stakeholders in the tobacco industry.

Republic Act 8976 Philippine Food Fortification o The State recognizes that food fortification is vital where there is a demonstrated need to increase the intake of an essential nutrient by one or more population groups, as manifested in dietary, biochemical or clinical evidences of deficiency. Food fortification is considered important in the promotion of optimal health and to compensate for the loss of nutrients due to processing and/or storage of food. Republic Act 6365 established a National Policy on population and created the Commission of population. Presidential Decree no. 1204 amends PD no. 79 which included the active participation of the Secretaries of the Department of Local Government and Community Development and the Department of labor and Employment in the formulation and implementation of policies of the national family planning health and welfare program Presidential Decree no. 791 Revised population act o Empowered nurses and midwives to provide dispense and administer acceptable methods of contraception after having undergone training and having been granted authorization by POPCOM. Executive Order no. 209 Family Code of the Philippines Republic Act 9255 Provides for illegitimate children to use the surname of their fathers. Presidential Decree no. 965 requires applicants for marriage license to receive instruction on family planning and responsible parenthood. Republic Act 7432 Maximize the contribution of senior citizens to nation building, grant benefits and special privileges. It entitles the elderly to a twenty percent discount in all public establishments and free medical and dental check up and hospitalization in all government hospitals. Republic Act 7600 Rooming in and Breastfeeding Act o Policies include Preparation of mothers for breastfeeding, Latching on (baby to suck 30 minutes after delivery), Rooming in 30 minutes after delivery, Breastfeeding for 4-6 months, feed per demand

Republic Act 9288 Newborn Screening Act o It is the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people, including the rights of children to survival and full and healthy development as normal individuals. In pursuit of such policy, the State shall institutionalize a national newborn screening system that is comprehensive, integrative and sustainable, and will facilitate collaboration among government and non-government agencies at the national and local levels, the private sector, families and communities, professional health organizations, academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations. The National Newborn Screening System shall ensure that every baby born in the Philippines is offered the opportunity to undergo newborn screening and thus be spared from heritable conditions that can lead to mental retardation and death if undetected and untreated. Republic Act 9262 Anti Violence against Women and the Children o The State values the dignity of women and children and guarantees full respect for human rights. The State also recognizes the need to protect the family and its members particularly women and children, from violence and threats to their personal safety and security. o Towards this end, the State shall exert efforts to address violence committed against women and children in keeping with the fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution and the Provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the convention on the Elimination of all forms of discrimination Against Women, Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international human rights instruments of which the Philippines is a party.

Republic Act 7170 - Organ Donation Act or an act authorizing the legacy or donation of all or part of a human body after death for specified purposes Republic Act 7885 Advance Corneal transplantation in the Philippines o An act to advance corneal transplantation in the Philippines, amending for the purpose republic act (r.a. no. 7170), otherwise known as the organ donation act of 1991 Republic Act 7719 National Blood Service Republic Act 7875 National Health Insurance Act of 1995 o An act instituting a national health insurance program for all Filipinos and establishing the Philippine health insurance corporation for the purpose.

Presidential Decree no. 996 - compulsory basic immunization for infants and children below eight years of age Republic Act 6675 Generics Act of 1988 o Generic name- identification of drugs with scientifically and internationally recognized active ingredients. o Brand name- propriety name given by manufacturer o Essential drug list- list of drugs prepared by DOH on the basis of health conditions in the Philippines as well as internationally accepted criteria o Policy includes: To promote, encourage and require the use of generic terminology in the importation, manufacture, distribution, marketing, advertising and promotion, prescription and dispensing of drugs; To ensure the adequate supply of drugs with generic names at the lowest possible cost and endeavor to make them available free for indigent patients; To encourage the extensive use of drugs with generic names through a national system of procurement and distribution To emphasize the scientific basis for the use of drugs, in order that health professionals may become more aware and cognizant of the therapeutic effectiveness; and To promote drug safety by minimizing duplication in medications and/or use of drugs with potentially adverse drug interactions.

Republic Act 6425 Dangerous Drug Act o Enacted in 1972 declaring that sale, administration, delivery, distribution, and transportation of prohibited drugs are punishable by law. Republic Act 4073 liberalized treatment of leprosy. Except when the patient requires institution treatment, no person afflicted with leprosy shall be confined in a leprosarium. Republic Act 8423 - Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 1997 o It is hereby declared the policy of the State to improve the quality and delivery of health care services to the Filipino people through the development of traditional and alternative health care and its integration into the national health care delivery system. It shall also be the policy of the State to seek a legally workable basis by which indigenous societies would own their knowledge of traditional medicine. When such knowledge is used by outsiders, the indigenous societies can require the permitted users to acknowledge its source and can demand a share of any financial return that may come from its authorized commercial use.

Republic Act 8203 Special Law on counterfeit drugs o It is hereby the policy of the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness It is also further declared the policy of the State that in order to safeguard the health of the people, the State shall provide for their protection against counterfeit drugs.

Republic Act 4226 Hospital Licensure Act o Requiring all hospitals in the Philippines to be licensed before it can offer to serve to the community. Presidential Decree 148 Amending RA 679 (woman and child labor law) states declared that o No child below 14 years of age shall be employed by any employer, except where the child works directly under the sole responsibility of his parent or guardian, involving activities which are not hazardous in nature and which do not in any way interfere with his schooling. Administrative Order no. 114 revised/updated the roles and functions of the Municipal Health Officers, Public Health Nurses and Rural Health Midwives. Republic Act 8504 Philippine AIDS Prevention and control act of 1998 o The State shall promote public awareness about the causes, modes of transmission, consequences, and means of prevention and control of HIV/AIDS through a comprehensive nationwide educational and information campaign organized and conducted by the State. Such campaigns shall promote value formation and employ scientifically proven approaches, focus on the family as a basic social unit, and be carried out in all schools and training centers, workplaces, and communities. This program shall involve affected individuals and groups, including people living with HIV/AIDS.