A total of 19 Super Health Centers are set to rise in Pangasinan this year funded by the Department of Health (DOH), including the one in this city that is under construction. Alaminos City Mayor Arth Bryan Celeste, in an interview on Friday, said the super health center which is being built at the city's medical complex complements the medical health master plan of the city government. He said the target completion of the center is at the end of this year or the first quarter of 2024. "Malaki po 'yong area, marami pang room for expansion. Sana matulungan pa tayo ng national government para yong funds namin ay magamit sa ibang programa ng lokal na pamahalaan (The area is big, there is more room for expansion. We hope the national government would be able to help us so that the funds of the local government could be diverted to other programs)," he said. A super health center costs PHP10 million to PHP15 million. He added that although the residents are the priority patients, the center will also cater to patients from neighboring towns. "Alaminos City is a central hub of the first district. There are adjacent municipalities that also need help," he said. Aside from that in Alaminos, other health centers in Pangasinan to be built this year through the 2022 DOH budget will be located in Basista, Manaoag, Mapandan, Laoac, Pozorrubio, Asingan and Balungao towns. Meanwhile, super health centers funded through the 2023 DOH budget and scheduled to also be built within the year will be those in Dagupan City, Agno, Alcala, Bani, Calasiao, Malasiqui, San Fabian, San Quintin, San Manuel, Sison and Urbiztondo towns. Senator Christopher Lawrence Go and other officials conducted a site inspection of the ongoing construction in Alaminos City on Thursday. Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, at a press conference during the inspection, said the centers will help decongest hospitals. He said the super health center is a medium-type of polyclinic that has services like dental, laboratory, X-ray, birthing facility, and other medical services. "Pwedeng i-expand ni mayor. Ito po yong tinatawag na primary care, early detection. Kaya magpakonsulta kayo sa mga health centers para hindi lumala ang sakit ninyo, hindi ninyo na kailangan pang pumunta sa malalayong hospital (The mayor may expand it. This is what we call primary care, early detection. So avail of the services of the health centers as you need not go to the hospitals far their areas)," Go said. Go also assisted in the distribution of cash assistance to the 2,000 residents composed of senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disability in the city through the assistance to individuals in crisis situations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development
Source: Philippines News Agency
