MANILA Mayor Honey Lacuna announced that the upgrading of the city’s health centers toward becoming ‘super health centers’ is now underway.
Lacuna said that the Manila Health Department (MHD), which is headed by Dr. Poks Pangan, is now in the process of converting all health centers from ordinary to super health centers in an effort to expand its services and better serve Manilans.
The mayor also announced that as per a report from Dr. Pangan, majority of the city’s 44 health centers now have license to operate, adding that the health centers are apart from the lying-in clinics that provide free deliveries of babies and the clinic that serves all city government workers in the city.
It was learned that of the number, 39 Manila health centers have obtained licenses. The remaining five have yet to be licensed since they are still under construction.
The super health centers that are under construction, according to Lacuna, are those that are incorporated in the city’s vertical housing units that are also being built by the local government.
“Pag me license to operate, ibig sabihin ay Philhealth-accredited na ang health centers meaning, pag nagpa-register ng Philhealth ay mas maraming benepisyong matatanggap at mas marami din itong maitutulong sa pamahalaang-lungsod ng Maynila,” the mayor explained.
The free medical services being provided in the improved health centers include dental services such as cleaning, fluoride application, restoration or ‘pasta’ and tooth extraction.
Free laboratory tests are also given that cover CBC, FBS, BUN, CREA, SGOT/SGPT OGTT, cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, urinalysis, and fecalysis.
Lacuna said that as a matter of policy, requests for lab tests following checkups in private hospitals or clinics will not be allowed in the health centers.
“Paalala lang. Itong mga lab test na ito ay ginagawa po natin sa mga pasyente natin sa health center. Hindi kami natanggap ng request na galing sa private hospital. Kung kayo po ay nagpa-checkup sa ating health center at may pinagawang laboratory ang doktor sa inyo, maari n’yo nang ipagawa dun pero pag kayo ay nagpa-checkup sa private hospital o clinic at dun ninyo ipagagawa ang lab test sa ating health center, hindi po ‘yun allowed. Pasyente lang ng health center ang puwede,” she explained.
