The Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas on Monday turned over to the local government unit of Catarman, Northern Samar a newly constructed Super Health Center to strengthen healthcare access in the provincial capital.
Located in Dalakit village, the new Super Health Center is equipped with modern facilities such as X-ray, obstetric ultrasound, electrocardiogram, outpatient consultation rooms, maternal and childcare services, laboratory and diagnostic rooms, birthing facilities, emergency treatment rooms, a pharmacy, and other essential medical services.
In her message, Mayor Dianne Rosales thanked the DOH for funding the project, calling it “a gift and privilege for the people of Catarman.”
“It is also a challenge because of our limited manpower, but we are working on it,” Rosales added.
Catarman municipal health officer Myrna Trongcoso said they are finalizing the staff duty schedules to allow the center to operate 24 hours a day from Mondays to Fridays.
The center will serve not only Catarman residents but also those from nearby municipalities.
“This facility can serve around 20,000 residents and will also function as a YAKAP Center,” Trongcoso said.
A program of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., YAKAP, or Yaman ng Kalusugan Program, is an enhanced primary care benefit package that expands the previous Konsulta Package to provide comprehensive and proactive healthcare to all members.
The PHP10-million Super Health Center was funded by the DOH, with the local government providing the land and contributing an additional PHP7 million for the second phase, covering plumbing, electrical works, transformers, generator sets, and air-conditioning units.
The DOH intends to build Super Health Centers in more areas nationwide to decongest regional and provincial hospitals.
Through these facilities, patients will be able to get a diagnostic exam before being referred to hospitals if needed, addressing the gap in the country’s current patient referral system and inequities in healthcare access. (PNA)
