“The project is actually part of PCSO’s gift to the public for its 75th year of existence, thus, it has offered [...]]]> Cagayan de Oro City (4 September) — An estimated 125,000 beneficiaries in region 10 are expected to be served by the “100% Barangays-in-One” Project of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Sunday, September 6.

“The project is actually part of PCSO’s gift to the public for its 75th year of existence, thus, it has offered to conduct a nationwide medical, dental and feeding mission to all the country’s 42,000 barangays, simultaneously, in one day,” said Mario S. Pelisco, Chief Lottery Officer of PCSO, Misamis Oriental.

In the case of region 10, all its 433 city and 1,590 municipal barangays or a total of 2,023 barangays from its five (5) provinces and eight (8) cities are expected to be served by about 172 medical doctors, 210 nurses, 21 pharmacists and 15 dentists.

These medical practitioners who have volunteered to take part of the project are expected to serve at least 121,400 medical, 2,100 dental and another 1,500 feeding patients.

Pelisco also said 21 co-referral hospitals (CRH) have been positioned in 23 cluster centers of the region where there are government hospitals to serve the laboratory examinations and diagnostic procedures needed by indigent patients.

Meanwhile, he said, a total of 500 boxes of medicines have already been sent to the following CRH’s, as of August 24, 2009, to make sure that the medical / dental / feeding mission can start at 8:00 in the morning on September 6:

Bukidnon – Bukidnon Provincial Hospital in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon Provincial Medical Hospital in Malaybalay City and Bukidnon Provincial Hospital in Maramag.

Camiguin – Catarman District Hospital in Catarman and Camiguin General Hospital in Mambajao.

Lanao del Norte – Kolambugan Provincial Hospital in Kolambugan, Lanao Norte Provincial Hospital in Baroy, Kapatagan Provincial Hospital in Kapatagan and G.T. Lluch Memorial Hospital in Iligan City.

Misamis Occidental – Calamba District Hospital in Calamba, Misamis Occidental Provincial Hospital in Oroquieta City, MHARS Regional Teaching & Training Hospital and S.M. Lao Memorial City General Hospital in Ozamiz City and Doña Maria D. Tan Memorial Hospital in Tangub City.

Misamis Oriental – J.R. Borja General Hospital and Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) in Cagayan de Oro City, Gingoog General Hospital in Gingoog City, Talisayan District Hospital in Talisayan, Medicare Community Hospital in Balingasag and in Manticao, as well as Initao District Hospital in Initao. (PIA 10)

“All in all in health, [...]]]> Cagayan De Oro City (30 June) — City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula debunked criticisms that medical and hospital services are not getting fair attention from City Hall, saying that the city government is spending this year over P200 million for the J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital and the City Health Office.

“All in all in health, more than P200 million ang atong allocation. Wala nato abandonaha ang serbisyo sa panglawas sa katawhan because that is part of the services that we would want to be for Cagayan de Oro City,” Mayor Jaraula told a group of local mediamen during a press conference held yesterday afternoon at the City Mayor’s Office reception hall.

Jaraula called for a media conference to shed light on criticisms against City Hall for reportedly allocating a ‘measly’ amount from the P97 million supplemental budget which was approved lately by the City Council.

“Either ignorance or malicious, kadtong P97 million nga gipagawas was a supplemental budget ug ang gihatag sa city hospital was just an addition to the basic (annual budget allocation). But no matter how you explain this, kung malicious ang ila, dili gyud nila masabot,” Mayor Jaraula hurled back to his critics, adding that the criticisms… “only come ignorance on local governance”.

For the ‘respectable’ operation of the J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital, Mayor Jaraula explained that the city has allocated this year an amount of P91.347 million for the city-run hospital.

This amount is broken down as follows: P50.647 million for personal services which is basically intended for salaries, wages and allowances for doctors, dentists, nurses and other health personnel; P32.9 million for maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE); P27.8 million for drugs and medicines and P5 million for other expenses.

Like the city-run hospital that caters to the basic health needs of the poor people, Mayor Tinnex said the city government has set aside some P109.1 million for the City Health Office operations.

This covers P60 million for personal services, P24.5 million for MOOE, P17.5 million for drugs and medicines and P7 million for other expenses.

In addition from local funds, Mayor Jaraula said the local government got a P62 million subsidy from the national government through the Department of Health (DOH) as part of the pledge of commitment by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in August 2007.

Of the said amount, according to Mayor Jaraula, some P22 million is intended for the completion of the construction of the J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital Annex Building Project, while the remaining P40 million will be used for upgrading and expansion of the 22 barangay health centers all over the city.

Aside from this, Jaraula said the city government is deploying two units of mobile clinics in an efforts to address the health needs of the ‘poorest of the poor’ and underprivileged residents in the hinterland areas under the so-called “Forwarding Delivery of Basic Health Services Program”.

A three-man team composed of a doctor, a dentist and a nurse will be assigned to each mobile clinic while extending medical and dental services to the residents in upland barangays, he added.

With barangay Lumbia serving as its base point, the first unit, which was delivered lately, will serve barangays Bayanga, Mambuaya, Dansolihon, Tignapoloan and Besigan while the other mobile clinic will cover barangays Pagalungan, Tagpangi, Taglimao, Tuburan, Pigsag-an and Tumpagon.

Mayor Jaraula hopes that the deployment of the two mobile clinics will help reduce the patient population at the overcrowded city-run J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital, especially those coming from far-flung barangays.

With the mobile clinic doing regular stopover at every covered barangay, poor patients will no longer have to travel to the City Hospital to avail of medical check-up and other health services, the Mayor said.

The mobile clinic could also serve as an emergency ambulance if a patient needs an immediate transport to a nearest hospital during emergency cases, he concluded. (CIO)

The sportsfest kicked-off with a colorful motorcade around the city which was participated in by various participating departments and [...]]]> Cagayan de Oro City (30 October) — IN line with the city government’s physical fitness program for City Hall employees, City Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula today formally opened the year-round City Hall Inter-Department Sports Fest Season 2.

The sportsfest kicked-off with a colorful motorcade around the city which was participated in by various participating departments and offices, and shortly followed by a short program at the City Hall Quadrangle.

After the team presentation, players, coaches and tournament officials took their oath of sportsmanship and competed in the banner raising contest which was won by the City Assessment Department.

Mayor Jaraula; city Councilor Caesar Ian Acenas, representing Vice Mayor Vicente Emano; city Councilor Adrian Barba and city sports executive director Engr. Isidro Borja gave their respective messages of sportsmanship, camaraderie and unity during the opening ceremonies.

The sports activity was highlighted with a ceremonial toss by Mayor Jaraula declaring the formal opening of the annual sports fest that features sports events in volleyball (men and women), basketball (men and women), table tennis (men and women), badminton (men and women), chess (men) and dart (men). (Cagayan de Oro Information Office/PIA-MisOrOccCam i-Net

The Department of Health Center for Halth Development in Northern Mindanao announced it would develop the capabilities of hospitals and health centers in the region, including the health system, in a bid to improve health services to the public.

Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH-CHD regional director, said first on the line is the [...]]]> by: Jorie Valcorza of PIA

The Department of Health Center for Halth Development in Northern Mindanao announced it would develop the capabilities of hospitals and health centers in the region, including the health system, in a bid to improve health services to the public.

Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH-CHD regional director, said first on the line is the development of the Northern Mindanao medical Center (NMMC) in the city into a highly developed specialized referral center.

He said they are about to open the special catheterization laboratory at the NMMC, a prerequisite before the hospital becomes the region’s kidney and heart center.

It will be started soon coupled with the download of assistance to the J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital of Cagayan de Oro along with the rest of the city health cneters in the region, Bernadas added.

He said he will meed with the city’s chief executives to define their intention on the P62-million assistance from the Department of Health.

At the same time, Bernadas announced their office continues to strengthen the District Health System (DHS).

The DHS is a group of municipalities of strategic and geographical location that will promote cooperation among themselves in coordination with the DOH, he explained.

At present DOH is honing the Cagayan de Oro Urban Health System, which envisions the city having a clear tasking and clear referral mechanism between health care providers – both private and public, he further said.

Dr. Bernadas expressed the importance of convening the health media advocates in the city to a regular quarterly forum to be adept with the DOH-10 projects and activities and relay well the information to the public.

The group headed by Dr. Michael McGlynn conducted an operation to 85 indigent children with cleft lip and palate in the city as part of its 10th year volunteer service to Cagayan de [...]]]> City Mayor Constantino Jaraula expressed his gratitude to the medical professionals of Interplast Australia for conducting a medical mission in the city recently.

The group headed by Dr. Michael McGlynn conducted an operation to 85 indigent children with cleft lip and palate in the city as part of its 10th year volunteer service to Cagayan de Oro in partnership with Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro.

Dr. McGlynn thanked the Cagayanons for their support especially the medical professionals of German Doctors and Northern Mindanao Medical Center.

Dr. McGlynn and company were presented in this morning’s flag raising ceremony by Mayor Jaraula before the city hall employees.

The mayor added that more medical missions are coming to the city, among these are a group from Michigan composed of 62 medical professionals and the Physicians for Peace.

Mayor Jaraula said that these medical missions are expected to help many poor Cagayanons especially those who needed surgical operation for free.

On the other hand, to give better health services to the Cagayanons especially the indigent patients, Mayour Jaraula said that he is setting-up a dialysis center at J.R. Borja Memorial Hospital.

Mayor Jaraula said that he is planning to seek financial help from senators Pia and Allan Cayetano to set up the dialysis center which will be named after the late Sen. Rene Cayetano. CIO

Mayor Jaraula said that he expressed such an intention when President Arroyo visited the city during the recent celebration of [...]]]> Cagayan de Oro City — CITY Mayor Constantino G. Jaraula is seeking financial support from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the completion of the annex building of the J.R. Borja General City Hospital in Cagayan de Oro.

Mayor Jaraula said that he expressed such an intention when President Arroyo visited the city during the recent celebration of the city fiesta last month.

He is optimistic that President Arroyo will approve his request for a financial allocation to ensure the completion of the 600-bed capacity hospital building.

It can be recalled that in the first two weeks of his administration, Mayor Jaraula conducted an ocular inspection of the P28-million hospital project and the existing facilities of the city hospital to get personal information on its present condition and the needs for its improvement.

Mayor Jaraula said that it is high time for the unutilized building to be used for its intended purpose if only to accommodate more indigent patients from the city and neighboring places.

He said that with the city’s role as a burgeoning metropolis in this part of Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro must also be equipped with facilities that will address the health and medical needs of its people.

The new hospital building is a three-storey facility, which can accommodate up to 600 hospital beds, more than twice the capacity of the old city hospital facility.

Mayor Jaraula’s plan to improve the facilities of the city hospital is in line with his intention to address the healthcare needs of the city population as one of his priority programs which also included rural development, sanitation, peace and order, quality education, and tourism development. (Cagayan de Oro City IO/PIA-MisOrOccCam i-Net)