Lingayen- – -Hundreds of residents in barangays Dupo, Salapingao, and Caloocan Sur in Binmaley town have availed of free medical check-ups and medicines provided by the provincial government through the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH) dubbed, Adopt a Barangay Program held on September 23.
The project, which is now on its sixth year implementation, is one of the scheduled highlights of the PPH’s yearly anniversary celebration.
Dr. Anna Ma. Teresa De Guzman, Provincial Health Office chief, said that the 70th anniversary celebration of the PPH is made more meaningful with the conduct of an outreach program that aims to provide free medical attention to the less-fortunate barangay folks of the three chosen sites as she added that the provincial hospital serves as a reflection of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr.’s helping hands especially for the sick and poor.
The PHO chief disclosed that based on reports coming from the PPH, the three adopted barangays have improved in terms of the numbers of in-patients or even walk-ins admitted to the provincial hospital.
This, she said, means that the residents of the three barangays are now healthier and even became conscious of their health.
De Guzman also stated that the present administration has intensified its health program with the launching of the Point-Of-Care for the indigents and the ‘no balance billing’ for the senior citizens.
It can be recalled that in 2014, the provincial government has allotted P60-million to bolster its health care services through the POC enrolment program for the indigent families.
Implemented since November 14, 2013 under PhilHealth’s Circular 32 series of 2013, the POC enrolment program is aimed at giving the non-PhilHealth members a full health package benefits at the time of their admission to government hospitals.
The health care mechanism wherein an indigent person or his dependent who needs urgent medical help specifically at the point of care could be admitted even without payout from the pocket.
In relation to the Adopt A Barangay Program, Dr. Policarpio Manuel, PPH chief, said that the serious concern of Gov. Espino on people’s health became their inspiration.
He stressed that the project was conceptualized by the PPH team headed by Dr. Karlo Marco Orduna in support to the Espino administration’s health reform program.
Dr. Orduna, on the other hand, commended the Governor for the inspiration and the guidance in coming up with worthy undertakings that are all geared to improve the health condition of the less fortunate Pangasinenses especially those at the grassroots.
The whole-day activity is not just limited on check-ups and consultations as it also offered lectures on preventive and promotive health program which focused on topics like environmental sanitation; prevention of infectious disease like diarrhea, dengue, pneumonia and others; healthy lifestyle advocacy; safe water and sanitary toilets; maternal and child care; oral hygiene (toothbrush drill); and handwashing drill.
The PPH team distributed various medicines like antibacterials, antipyretic/analgesics, antitussive/mucolytic/anti-asthma, antihypertensives/ACE-inhibitor/, antithrombotic, and vitamins such as ascorbic acids, zinc sulfate, B-complex, among others. (Ruby R. Bernardino)