One of the three additional HIV treatment centers will be established at the Eastern Bicol Medical Center (EBMC) in Virac, the Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development Bicol announced last week.
In his report during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas hosted by the Presidential Communications Office through the Philippine Information Agency, OIC-Regional Director Dr. Rodolfo Antonio Albornoz.
A source told the Tribune that health personnel of the provincial hospital will undergo training on the management of the HIV treatment center.
As of latest count, 2,757 HIV/AIDS cases have been recorded in the region since 1984, with Catanduanes accounting for about 70 cases, with over 40 of them belonging to the 25-34 age category.
Dr. Albornoz said 64 percent of the patients are on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), with the opening of the three new treatment hubs geared towards achieving more accessible testing and screening kits for the Bicolanos, aside from the ongoing promotion campaigns to spread HIV awareness.
Of the 83 units of Mobile Clinic vans capable of hemoanalysis and X-ray purchased by DOH, six are allocated for the Bicol region, one for each of the six provinces.
“We are just waiting for the signing of the deed of donation, with the release of the mobile clinics to be done in Malacanang,” the OIC-Director stated.
The DOH is also targeting the reduction of the stunting rate among children less than five years old and below, from last year’s 10.5 percent to nine percent or lower.
Catanduanes leads Bicol with 15% of children 0-5 years-old with stunted growth due to malnutrition, followed by Camarines Sur and Masbate
This will be done by integrating maternal and child health nutrition services in various health settings, strengthening the delivery of health and nutrition services, policies improving access to nutrition interventions, and provision of funds and commodities pursuant to the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Program, Dr. Albornoz said.
Under the program, the amount of P16.2 million has been allocated for seven towns in Catanduanes, he added.
Last June 15, the OIC-regional director accompanied DOH Undersecretrary Carolina Vidal-Taiño in visiting the province, which is the first among the Bicol provinces to implement the Electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS) in all government hospitals and rural health units.
The eLMIS, required under the Universal Health Care program, is an integrated software system for the electronic management of supply chain tasks such as distribution, stock allocation, inventory control, and warehouse administration of healthcare logistics.
During the visit, Gov. Joseph Cua was informed that under the Medical Assistance to Indigents and Financially Incapacitated Persons Program (MAIFIPP), the Easter Bicol Medical Center has been allocated P123 million, with P100 million coming from Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizalde Co, P20 million from Senator Bong Go, P1 million each from Cong. Eulogio Rodrigue and Sen. Francis Tolentino, and P500,000 each from Vice President Sara Duterte and BHW Partylist Rep. Angelica Co.
RD Albornoz also told the governor that the sea ambulance destined for use in Gigmoto town is set for bidding while the ambulance for Virac will be turned over soon.
The DOH also plans to donate a six-wheeler truck to the provincial government to be used as transport vehicle for the eLMIS implementation, Cua bared.
In the Kapihan, Albornoz reported that this year, health authorities have achieved a 92 percent success rate in the treatment of Drug Sensitive Tuberculosis cases.
With 98 cases recorded in the last six months, pertussis remains a concern as the DOH advised the public to go to the hospital in case they suffer symptoms. It was disclosed that the Bicol South Luzon Sub Nationakl Reference Laboratory in Legazpi City is the first pertussis confirmatory testing site in Bicol.
On immunization, the DOH CHD 5 has achieved an average of 52 percent of fully immunized children, compared to the year’s target of 95 percent.
RD Albornoz said that under a strengthened National Safe Motherhood Program, the maternal mortality rate will be reduced from 128 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 to 120 this year.
The effort will focus on regular maternal death review, capacity building activities on family planning, and basic emergency management obstetric and newborn care skills.
Under the Universal Health Care program, an additional 1,383 Human Resource for Health (HRH) personnel have been deployed to the region, with Catanduanes getting 256, of which 239 have been hired.
The Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) has allocated P2.32 billion for the improvement of 74 health facilities while the distribution of ambulances continues.
A total of 49 Permits to Construct (PTCs) have been issued by the department in Bicol, including a Level 2 hospital and a primary care facility in Catanduanes.
The DOH also reported that 47.50 percent of households in the region are now using safely-managed drinking water systems.
On the other hand, it called on local government units to pass ordinances for road safety and to enhance road safety programs in order to reduce death rates due to road injuries.
In the first half of 2024, a total of 83 persons out of the 1,547 injured in road accidents have died, compared to 279 last year.
The DOH has provided maintenance medicines to 17,195 people identified as hypertension cases and 1,754 screened as diabetes mellitus cases.
It is also seeking to speed up and make affordable the service delivery mechanism for the elimination of cervical cancer.
On the recent increase in dengue cases, RD Albornoz said the situation is under control and there is still no outbreak recorded as the department is ready as far as vector control commodities are concerned.