Governor Lilia G. Pineda led members of the Provincial Board and Pampanga Mayors’ League as they recently signed the joint declaration of commitment with partner-agencies of the national government to ensure that every Kapampangan is healthy and productive.
This developed during the provincial health summit sponsored by the provincial government through the initiative of Board Member Monina Laus, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s health committee.
Pineda rallied the more than 500 chiefs of district hospitals, provincial and municipal health officers, rural health units heads, nurses and health personnel throughout the province who participated in the summit to support the anti-tuberculosis and all other health-related programs of the government.
“Kakasa ba kayo?”The governor posed this question to the health summit participants who attended with their respective municipal mayors and informed them that the provincial government already did.
The governor said that the Capitol, together with health workers from the province down to the municipal and barangay levels, must join forces to attain zero percent of tuberculosis patient.
“Alang sakit a TB keng bie ning metung a Kapampangan” was the governor’s battle cry to the health service providers as she challenged them to intensify their efforts towards the reduction of TB, maternal and infant mortality cases in the province in line with the Millennium Development Goals.
“We have a specific role to play and that is to take care of the health and well-being of every Kapampangan.”
Pineda said that the province has distributed tricycle units to various barangays as service patrol vehicles in bringing patients to the hospitals and monitoring of health programs.
Efforts to strengthen the capacity and capability of district hospitals and rural health units for their accreditation with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC), training of barangay health workers on sputum collection, hiring of medical technologists and other needed manpower to monitor the anti-TB program are also among the measures being undertaken by the province.
The referral system at the district hospitals and rural health units will also be intensified including the gathering of reliable and accurate information and data of TB patients in the various barangays and municipalities of the province.
An all-out advocate and supporter of health development, Pineda said that she plans to put up pulmonary wards in all district hospitals of the province at the soonest possible time.
“Early detection, provision of needed interventions and treatment, follow-through and monitoring of TB patients are likewise very important,” the governor stressed.
She lauded the national government through the Department of Health (DOH) for its generous funding assistance for the construction and rehabilitation of district hospitals and rural health units, including the provision of medical equipment to same.
Laus said that with the support given by Governor Pineda, members of the SP, municipal mayors and health workers at the provincial, municipal and barangay levels, there is no reason why Pampanga would not attain its goal of zero percent TB cases.
DOH Undersecretaries Dr. David Lozada, Jr. and Dr. Gerardo Bayugo presented the department’s solidarity message and the health facilities enhancement project in Pampanga from 2010 to present.
Dr. Juan Antonio Perez of the Bureau of Local Health Development and Dr. Raffy Deray of the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program discussed the importance of provincial, city and municipal integrated health plans and the information, education and communication (IEC) campaign on rabies.
League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Executive Director Li-Ann de Leon informed the summit participants that the 1,496 municipalities of the country salute the governor for her total commitment to the “Kalusugang Pangkalahatan” program of the government.
Discussions during the one-day summit held at King’s Royale in Bacolor town focused on the themes “Usapang Lokal para sa Kalusugan Pangkalahatan” and “Walang TB para sa bawat Pampagueño”, Laus ended. (Erlinda T. Yutuc, Pampanga PIO)
