MAYOR Honey Lacuna bared that her administration is studying ways to prolong the life expectancy of its residents while ensuring that the kind of lives that the city’s senior citizens will lead during their twilight years will be a quality, happy and healthy long one.
At her third State of the City Address (SOCA), Lacuna said the studies which are underway will complement the interventions already in place to ascertain the health and well-being of Manilans via world-class medical services.
“Pinag-aaaralan natin ang mga dapat nating gawin upang mapahaba ang ‘life expectancy’ ng ating taumbayan. Hindi lang mapahaba ang buhay ng Manileño, bagkus, mapahaba nang mayroong de-kalidad ang buhay ng ating mga senior citizens, na masaya at walang sakit,” the lady mayor said.
She added: “Sa mga polisiya patungkol sa pagkain, ehersisyo, linis ng hangin at kapaligiran at iba pa, ‘yan po ang tunay na layunin ng planong pangkalusugan ng ‘Magnificent Manila.’ Sa kabila ng pangangailangan nating maghigpit ng sinturon, tinuloy, tinapos ang mga nasimulan, at naglunsad pa tayo ng mga programang higit na kinakailangan ng mas nakararaming Manilenyo.”
As a doctor, Lacuna had always prioritized overall good health so that she empowered the city’s health cluster beginning from the time when she was the Vice Mayor.
The health cluster which she began running during pandemic or even before she became mayor include the Manila Health Department and the six hospitals being run by the local government, which all provide free health services for Manila residents.
She also reported that the city-run Ospital ng Tondo, Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital, Ospital ng Sampaloc and Sta. Ana Hospital, along with the Manila Health Department, are already ISO-certified.
“Ang ISO certification ay isang katiyakan ng mataas na kalidad ng ating serbisyong pangkalusugan at maayos na sistema ng ating mga ospital. Patunay ito na maging sa kalusugan, nagiging ganap na ang pagiging ‘World Class’ ng ating lungsod,” the mayor stated.
In support of this, she said all of the city’s more than 40 health centers were made capable of conducting simple laboratory tests for blood, cholesterol, urinalysis and many others.
According to the mayor, each health center has its own ECG and ultrasound services for pregnant women so that they no longer need to go to hospitals and private laboratories or clinics.
“Mayroon na rin tayong portable dental x-ray, mobile laboratory and x-ray van na umiikot sa buong Maynila. At ang lahat ng mga ito, ay libre. Sinigurado natin na maibigay din ang mga maintenance medicines tulad ng lozartan, metformin, amlodipine at iba pa, sa mga kababayan nating nangangailangan nito,” Lacuna stressed.
Meanwhile, the city also launched the “Walang Batang Manileñong Bungi sa 2030,” where kindergarten and Grade 1 pupils are given fluoride and sealant to keep their teeth healthy.
“Para naman sa ating mga pampublikong High School na mag-aaral, ay mayroon tayong “Alis Sungki Balik Ngiti Program,,” the mayor said, adding that over 100 high school students have already been given free dental braces and dentures.
The “Responsable Ako: Huwag Maging Biba [Batang Ina, Batang Ama]” adolescent health program is also being brought to various high schools within Manila to address the growing number of teenage pregnancies.
This is complemented by the “Ang Bata, Bata, Planado kang Ginawa Safe Motherhood Program” where, from 36,000, the number of family planning acceptors had been increased to 157,872 in just a span of over a year, to address the increasing population in the city.
