The second super health center aimed to provide basic health needs, including specialized health services at the local level, will soon rise in barangay Talon-talon, courtesy of Sen. Bong Go and the Department of Health with assistance from Cong. Mannix Dalipe.
This, as Mayor John Dalipe and Vice Mayor Josephine Pareja Tuesday morning joined Sen. Go, represented by Jade Jamolod, DOH-9 Director Dr. Joshua Brillantes, City Health Officer Dr. Dulce Miravite and the barangay officials in leading the groundbreaking rites for the P11.5M Super Health Center project in Talon-Talon.
The first super health center in the city is undergoing construction in Sangali in the east coast. A third facility is slated for barangay Manicahan.
Mayor Dalipe thanked Sen. Go through Jamolod, District II Cong. Mannix Dalipe, the DOH, the Talon-talon Barangay Council chaired by Casmir Candio for collaborating to make the project a reality. “As mayor, I wholeheartedly thank all those who made this project possible for the general health and welfare of the people, most especially the poor who need our services the most.”
Jamolod said the super health center project was conceptualized during the term of President Rodrigo Duterte with funding pushed by Sen. Go as a way of providing a higher standard of care than a regular rural health center.
A total of 307 centers in the country are funded through the 2022 national budget with help from the DOH. The super health centers are medium-type polytechnic clinics that have an out-patient department, a laboratory, and an X-ray and ultrasound equipment. These clinics also provide birthing, diagnostic, pharmaceutical and emergency services, among others.
Dr. Brillantes said the project forms part of the universal health care (UHC) to ensure the accessibility of the constituents to health services. “Before, the health center is just for vaccination and treating minor diseases but with the super health center, Filipinos will be provided with comprehensive basic health services including outpatient department, laboratory, X-ray, ultra sound, birthing services, diagnostic, pharmacy and emergency services among others. This is part of the commitment of our government in making Filipinos the healthiest in Asia by 2040.”
For her part, Dr. Miravite said with the super health center, the city will be able to give better health services to the constituents. “We have 16 health districts in the city; hopefully, we can have 16 super health centers soon.”
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page, photo courtesy by Kathy Wee Sit)