SUPER HEALTH CENTER INAUGURATED IN BUTUAN CITY AS BONG GO CONTINUES EFFORTS TO BRING PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES CLOSER TO FILIPINOS

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, lauded the inauguration of the Super Health Center in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, on Friday, January 5.

In his message, Go emphasized the importance of bringing primary healthcare closer to the people. The senator also praised the local government of Butuan City including Mayor Ronnie Lagnada, Acting Mayor Lawrence Fortun, with the help of the Department of Health (DOH), for their efforts to boost the community’s health sector. Also present was City Councilor Eduardo Gonzales, chairperson of the Committee on Health and Sanitation.

The Super Health Centers, championed by Go, aim to bolster grassroots healthcare infrastructure, especially in rural areas, by providing essential services such as primary healthcare, medical consultations, and early disease detection.

The senator expressed his confidence that these centers will help alleviate the strain on hospitals and improve overall healthcare accessibility in the grassroots.

“Ano po ang Super Health Center? It’s a medium type of a polyclinic. Pwede na po diyan yung panganganak, dental, laboratory, x-ray at pwede po itong pagandahin ng LGU. Pwede n’yo po dagdagan ng dialysis machine,” Go said.

“Dito na po gagawin yung Konsulta package ng PhilHealth, early disease detection. Makatutulong po ito sa ating mga kababayan. Mailalapit na po ‘yung serbisyo medikal sa mga nangangailangan,” he added.

Super Health Centers offer health services, including database management, outpatient care, 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 centers, and telemedicine.

Through the collective efforts of the DOH, local government units (LGUs), and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated under the DOH for the construction of 307 Super Health Centers in 2022, 322 in 2023, and 132 in 2024. As the lead implementing agency, DOH identifies the strategic areas where these Super Health Centers will be established.

Moreover, Go remains committed to bolstering the health sector by encouraging the public to utilize the Malasakit Centers at Butuan Medical Center in the city.

The Malasakit Center is a one-stop shop that brings relevant agencies together to provide indigent Filipinos medical aid. Go is the principal author and sponsor of RA 11463, or the Malasakit Centers Act, which has assisted around ten million Filipinos nationwide through its 159 operational centers.

Go then highlighted RA 11959, or the Regional Specialty Centers Act, for which he served as a principal sponsor and one of the authors in the Senate. The Regional Specialty Centers Act assumes an essential role in the healthcare legislative priorities of the Marcos Administration, as outlined in the Philippine Development Plan for the years 2023 to 2028. This law shall create Regional Specialty Centers within pre-existing regional hospitals under the jurisdiction of DOH.

During the activity, Go’s Malasakit Team also distributed food packs, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball to some barangay health workers in the city.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance has been a staunch supporter of various initiatives in the province. These include the construction of a road connecting the NRJ Masao Port Road to the NRJ Butuan City-Agusan del Norte Logistical Highway, NRJ Butuan City-Malaybalay Road to the NRJ Buenavista-Bunaguit Road, NRJ Malaybalay Road to the NRJ Butuan City-Cagayan de Oro-Iligan City Road, Levee Road to the Mayor Democrito-Las Nieves-Sibagat Road, and NRJ BCIR-Jct Logistical Highways; and the concreting of the Tagabaca farm-to-market road in Butuan City.

Other initiatives he supported include the construction of the Las Nieves Bridge and road approaches, as well as the Concepcion Bridge in Brgy. Concepcion, and a revetment along the Cabadbaran River in Brgy. Poblacion 9 in Cabadbaran City.