Sara

Marilog District Hospital close to Sara’s heart

January 12, 2022 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 828 views

WHEN Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) vice presidential aspirant and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte returned to politics in 2016, one of her priorities was to establish a hospital in Marilog District — considered a Geographically-isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA).

Last year, the local government of Davao opened the Marilog District Hospital with personnel mostly belonging to the Indigenous People’s communities in the area. One of them is a medical doctor who finished school through the medical scholarship grant of the local government unit (LGU).

During Tuesday’s Sara All For You episode, Davao City Mayor Sara, who is gunning for the vice-presidential post, said the hospital project is close to her heart.

“Tayong mga taga-Davao City, alam natin na walang hospital for the longest time doon sa Marilog District,” Duterte said.

Duterte said the German Doctors Hospital in Buda could only do so much in providing all the medical needs of people living in Marilog.

“When I returned as mayor in 2016, my priority was to operationalize Marilog hospital,” Duterte said.

Dr. Evelyno A. Buenaventura, acting Chief of Hospital, said around 50 of the 73 hospital staff are lumad, including a medical doctor who vowed to serve IP communities.

The hospital has already served almost 12,000 Dabawenyos since it opened in February last year.

Buenaventura said the hospital operates with the slogan “Help is Here,” a spinoff of Davao City’s “Life is Here,” brand.

Buenaventura said the establishment of the hospital encountered many challenges, including its proximity to the center of the city, lack of telecommunication signals, transportation, and the culture and belief of the tribes.

But through the strong resolve and leadership of Mayor Inday, he said, the dream came to life.

“With your leadership, Mayor (Sara), the City Council, the city government of Davao, the city health office, and all other agencies,” he said.

The local and tribal community leaders also played a vital role in the establishment of the hospital, according to Buenaventura.

The Marilog District Hospital offers consultation, admission, minor surgery, family planning, laboratory. It also has primary facilities like a pharmacy, animal bite center, and Lingap Center that provides people access to free medical services.

The hospital is also serving residents of the nearby areas of Arakan in North Cotabato and Bukidnon.

The presidential daughter expressed gratitude to the hospital staff for their services.

“Kaming tanan mga Dabawenyo naga-pasalamat…para sa inyohang pagpaningkamot nga dunay medical services nga makab-ot ang atoang mga kaigsuonang lumad,” she said.

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