HEALTH OFFICE SATELLITE. The Dagupan City Health Office satellite center starts serving residents of three barangays of the city on Wednesday (June 26, 2019). Residents may avail of the free consultation and medicines at the center. (Photo courtesy of Mayor Belen Fernandez's Facebook page)
DAGUPAN CITY -- The City Health Office (CHO) here has opened its satellite center to improve the provision of healthcare services and in support of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.
The satellite health center in Barangay Bonuan Tondaligan will serve the villages of Bonuan Gueset, Bonuan Boquig, and Bonuan Binloc, with more than 49,000 combined population.
“This is to cater to the residents in the Bonuan area and in support to the UHC Act which aims to make healthcare accessible to the people,” city health officer Dr. Ophelia Rivera said in an interview Friday.
The Department of Health (DOH) has funded the building construction, while the city government of Dagupan provides the lot and the management of the center, she added.
With the satellite office, Rivera said the people can save time and money in going to the CHO main office in Barangay Herrero Perez. The CHO main office previously served 150 to 200 patients daily.
“It is closer to them so it is more accessible to them as they would just ride one jeepney or even walk to go to the satellite office,” she said.
The satellite center provides consultation and medicine with a doctor and barangay nurses and midwives on duty or going around the three barangays, while laboratory and diagnostic services are still done in the CHO main office, she added.
“Since we opened the center on Wednesday, we have already served 78 patients,” Rivera said.
She said they also plan to establish an infirmary which will serve the three barangays and the island barangays of the city.
“We are planning to put up an infirmary. Hopefully, we could acquire a lot near the satellite center. This will again be funded by DOH,” Rivera said.
She said a sea ambulance will soon be donated by DOH for the island barangays. (PNA)
