Bong Go joins inauguration of Super Health Center in Sorsogon City
SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, underscored the importance of dedicating resources to health infrastructure especially in communities to bring medical services closer to the people as he attended the inauguration of a Super Health Center in Sorsogon City, Sorsogon.
“The more we should invest sa ating healthcare system. Hindi natin akalain na tamaan tayo ng pandemya. Mas mabuti nang handa tayo sa anumang pandemyang darating sa buhay natin,” said Go.
Super Health Centers are designed to focus on primary care, consultation, and early detection of diseases at the community level. Moreover, the centers offer 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 centers; and telemedicine.
In emphasizing the importance of Super Health Centers, Go highlighted that these centers play a crucial role in bridging the gaps in healthcare accessibility, especially in underserved communities. Through collective efforts of Go, DOH, LGUs and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds have been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023.
“Marami po sa mga kababayan natin sa iba’t ibang sulok ng Pilipinas ang walang sapat na health facilities na makakagamot sa kanilang mga karamdaman. Kaya importante na mailapit natin ang serbisyong medikal mula gobyerno sa mga taong nangangailangan nito,” he stressed.
Apart from Sorsogon City, Super Health Centers were also funded in Bulan, Irosin, Castilla, Sta. Magdalena, and Matnog.
The inauguration was also attended by Congresswoman Marie Bernadette Escudero, Sorsogon City Mayor Ester Hamor, and other local officials.
To further improve access to healthcare, Go earlier supported the renovation of Dr. Fernando B. Duran Sr. Memorial Hospital (Sorsogon Provincial Hospital) in the city and the construction of its Cancer Treatment Center. There is a Malasakit Center located at the hospital which he also inspected the operations of later that day and provided aid to frontliners and patients there.
A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Centers program is designed to help ensure that indigent patients have convenient access to medical assistance programs offered by partner agencies like DOH, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
Currently, there are 159 operational centers that have assisted more than ten million Filipinos nationwide, according to DOH.
“Ang Malasakit Center po ay one-stop shop, nasa loob na ho ng hospital ‘yung apat na ahensya ng gobyerno – ‘yung DOH, DSWD, PhilHealth, at PCSO. Tutulungan po kayo sa inyong billing,” said Go, who principally authored and sponsored Republic Act No. 11463.
