In line with Pampanga Governor Lilia G. Pineda’s priority agenda, the provincial government puts primary focus on the conduct of intensified efforts relative to the provision of effective and efficient delivery of various health programs and services in the province.
This was learned from Board Member Monina Laus, chair of the provincial board committee on health, as she stressed that the Governor together with concerned officials of the province ensure the provision of continuous and improved delivery of health programs and services to the needy constituents.
Laus, who joined the Governor in her inspection of hospital and health facilities in the region, reported that plans are underway for the purchase of much needed and modern equipment such as x-ray and electrocardiograph machines.
“We want to provide our constituents with the best health care and services possible and this could be done if our public hospitals are properly equipped with modern equipment,” Laus stressed.
She added that last week, a one-day seminar on the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis was attended by close to 200 rural, municipal and provincial health officers, chiefs of hospitals, nurses, medical technicians and other health service providers in the province.
Sponsored by the Second District Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the seminar dubbed Direct Observation Treatment on Short Course Therapy (DOTS) was aimed to increase the knowledge of health practitioners and service providers on the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.
Laus said that valuable inputs on tuberculosis were shared by Dr. Redentor Asis, medical director of St. Luke’s Extension Clinic to the participants of the seminar.
The board member added that after the seminar she met with the participants and discussed plans and programs on how they can best improve the provision of health care services particularly on the prevention and treatment of common diseases, tuberculosis included, in the province.
“The Governor earlier instructed the barangay health workers to ensure that TB patients in their localities are provided with the proper treatment.”
She added that “much as we would like to ensure that TB patients are given the right medication, we also would want to look into the root cause of the spread of the TB disease.”
Thus in their recent visit to Candaba town, the Governor asked the 33 barangay captains of the said municipality to prepare a health profile of their respective constituents which would indicate the number of persons with diabetes, kidney problem, TB, heart disease and other ailments.
Through this system, the provision of necessary assistance and services would be facilitated, Laus explained.
As chair of the provincial health board committee, Laus is also in the forefront of the campaign on cervical cancer awareness and the prevention and control of dengue.
She said that proper coordination with the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), through its head Valentina David and cervical cancer awareness group, through its president Dr. Agnes Gaddi are being done for the conduct of reproductive health related-activities throughout the province.
