PLARIDEL, Bulacan — Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, personally led the groundbreaking ceremony of a Super Health Center in this town on Wednesday afternoon.

Go cited the importance of strengthening the country’s health sector, especially after the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nakita naman natin ang naging epekto ng pandemya sa ating bansa. Kaya mas mabuting maging handa tayo… The more that we need to invest in our healthcare system,” Go pointed out.

The Super Health Center will serve as a hub for various primary healthcare services including database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory, x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine. The center can also be used as satellite vaccination sites for Filipinos who live far from the urban centers.

“It’s a medium type of a polyclinic, para mailapit po natin ang serbisyo medikal sa ating mga kababayan. Hindi na nila kailangan magbiyahe pa ng ospital, ‘yung manganganak, mga dental, laboratory, x-ray, pwede na pong gawin dito ‘yung primary care, ‘yung konsulta. Malaking bagay po ito na hindi na nila kailangan magbiyahe pa sa mga ospital dahil dito na po sila magpapa-check up at magpapakonsulta at mayroon naman pong Konsulta package ang ating PhilHealth,” the senator explained in an interview after the event.

“Sa mga buntis pwede na po kayong manganak dito. Kasi napansin ko sa kakaikot ko sa buong Pilipinas marami pong lugar na walang Health Center, ‘yung mga buntis nanganganak sa tricycle at jeepney dahil sa sobrang layo po ng ospital. Finally, meron na po tayong itatayong Super Health Center dito. At ang ikinaganda po nito itu-turn over na po ito sa ating LGUs at pwede nilang pagandahin pa, i-expand nila,” he cited further.

Aside from Plaridel, Super Health Centers in Bulacan will also be initially established in Balagtas, Bulacan town, San Jose del Monte City, Meycauayan City, Pandi, San Miguel, Angat, Baliuag City, Marilao, Obando, Paombong, San Ildefonso and San Rafael.

Through the collective efforts of Go, the Department of Health (DOH) and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for the establishment of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023.

“These will help decongest the hospitals. Pwede na pong gamutin dito — primary care, consultation, early detection of diseases — mas maganda po ‘yon para hindi na lumala ang sakit ng mga pasyente,” Go added.

Photo: Mon Lazaro