DOH Surgical Caravan now moving around Pangasinan
- Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/999303
- Thursday, July 6, 2017
- By Leonardo V. Micua (PNA)
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, July 6 -- The Surgical Caravan dubbed: “ToDOHalaga, May Tsekap na, May Operasyon pa" of the Department of Health (DOH) is now going around the province of Pangasinan.
DOH, in partnership with the Provincial Government through the Provincial Health Office, headed by Dr. Anna Maria Theresa de Guzman, launched the DOH surgical caravan on June 30 at the Hotel Consuelo Resort and Chinese Restaurant in Lingayen.
This aims to intensify health service provision for the poorest of the poor to help alleviate their medical woes.
The caravan that offers operations, ranging from minor to major cases for free to indigent constituents in need of surgical procedures is currently underway at the Urdaneta District Hospital (UDH) till July 7.
The Western District Hospital (WDH) in Alaminos City will host the caravan on July 10 to 14 for the first sets of profiled patients cleared to undergo surgical procedures.
Seven hundred seventy beneficiaries from all over Pangasinan were pre-identified and profiled for the surgical caravan during check-ups conducted by the different municipal health units.
OIC Assistant Secretary of Health and DOH Region 1 Director Myrna C. Cabotaje bared that the caravan is an offshoot of the Philippine Health Agenda (PHA) – Checkup program aimed to deliver provision of medical intervention, in line with PHA guarantee of Service Delivery Networks wherein health care providers are organized to ensure the public of an easy access to high quality services regardless of financial capacity to pay.
Representatives from DOH, host hospitals UDH and WDH, and Region 1 Medical Center as well as local government unit officials collaborated for fund/resource sharing, identification and clearance of beneficiaries, and implementation arrangements for the Surgical Caravan during the launching event.
Asec. Cabotaje stressed that all surgical procedures done during the caravan shall be compensable with Philhealth, while laboratory and diagnostic procedures, drugs, medicines, supplies, professional fees may also be covered by DOH and its partner LGUs through the Medical Assistance program, and other funds.
R1MC chief of clinics and point person for the caravan Dr Cesar G.Guico stressed that beneficiaries who are not yet medically cleared to undergo surgical procedures this July will be scheduled for operations until December this year.