IBAAN, Batangas – IN what many consider as one of the biggest upgrades in this province’s public health care system, an ordinary health care center in this town has been transformed into a polyclinic or what some say as super health center.
As a result, the upgraded health facility can now attend to more patients and provide all necessary basic and specialized health services in the local level, just like those that are being offered in big hospitals.
Country’s first
And Batangueños are proud of this as it is the country’s very first super health center model that was opened in this second class municipality here on Wednesday, 17 November 2021.
Department of Health (DOH)-Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo led the turnover ceremony together with Mayor Edralyn Joy Salvame and other stakeholders in the healthcare industry.
Local residents are thankful to everyone who contributed in the upgrading and conversion of the Ibaan Rural Health Unit into a polyclinic that is today.
“This is the first and only true super health center in the country with a higher standard of care than a regular rural health center and can provide essential health services to the people in the community,” Director Janairo said during the blessing and inauguration of the facility at Barangay Talaibon, Ibaan, Batangas.
“Sa pamamagitan ng super health center na ito ay maibibigay natin ang pangangailangang pangkalusugan ng ating mga kababayan,” he added.
“At ito ang magiging testamento na sa lokal na level pa lang ay kaya ng ibigay ang mga serbisyong medikal na kailangan ng isang pasyente upang hindi na pumunta pa sa malalaking ospital o sa Maynila para makapagpagamot,” he continued.
“This project is the culmination of a long journey filled with determination, hope, and cooperation with the right people and the right partners with a common goal and aspiration — building and providing better health for our people that is affordable, accessible, and available to all people,” he disclosed.
Multi-services
The facility offers basic multi-health services including database management, out-patient (OPD), TB DOTS, birthing, isolation, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit.
Other available services are EENT service (for eyes, ears, nose, and throat), oncology centers, physical therapy, and rehabilitation center, and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
Other health care services that will be offered in addition will be provided in partnership with the UP-PGH Department of Surgery and the Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital.
Janairo added that the facility’s operational fund will come from the annual municipal health budget, PhilHealth, income from E-konsulta, pharmacy, and laboratory services.
He also assured that the regional office will provide the initial investment capital funds, health human resources including medicines, medical supplies, and other health commodities.
“Ang tunay na pagbabago at pagbibigay ng tunay na serbisyo ay kailangang umpisahan natin. Lagi nating sinasabi ang pagbabago pero ang nangyayari, lalo tayong bumabagal. Kailangan nating bumangon mula sa pandemya at panahon na para maumpisahan ito.”
“Ang super health center ay isang halimbawa at bunga ng pagbabagong ito at pagnanais nating maisakatuparan ang mga makabuluhang proyekto na makapagbibigay ng kaginhawahan sa ating mga kababayan dahil karapatan nila ito. Hindi dahil sila ay mahirap, kung hindi dahil sila ay mga Pilipino,” Janairo emphasized.
Pilot project
The Super Health Center is a project of Janairo’s office and is being piloted in four selected municipalities and one city in the CALABARZON region.
Its objective is to enable local health care facilities to provide basic health care services and accommodate patients needing surgery and specialized health care services.
Actually, the improvement of this town’s health center is very timely development, crucial to the LGU’s very own health care system as it is home to thousands of relocatees displaced by the January 12, 2020 Taal Volcano eruption.
Some evacuees were assigned with housing units constructed in Barangay Talaibon by the National Housing Authority (NHA).
Relocation area
The units were left vacant since its construction in 2017 and it has gone unnoticed until Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo del Rosario mentioned it as a possible relocation site for residents displaced by the eruption of the Taal Volcano.
Over 1,200 units were built in the housing site for police and military personnel and their families complete with amenities such as a covered gymnasium and a school building with at least 10 classrooms which have never been used.
Each single-story unit is around 22 square meters that comes with a sink and walled partitions for the bathroom.
The project developer was Malate Construction and Development Corporation (MCDC) under the Armed Forces of the Philippines/Philippine National Police Housing Project Phase 2.
Aside from this, Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas also acquired from the national government budget for the construction of additional units of relocatees who were still living in tents at the relocation site.
(Jebrail Israel/OpBats)