BAUKO, Mountain Province – In an effort to provide health services especially to the marginalized sector, the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday launched this year’s Surgical Caravan in Mountain Province at the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital (LHMRH)
The “To DOH Alaga, May TSEKap na, May Operasyon Pa!” Surgical Caravan kicked-off with a parade and was followed by a simple program.
The caravan is a simultaneous nationwide activity of the DOH that aims to enhance the service delivery of LGU hospitals through the technical assistance from DOH hospitals and to provide support to LGUs in providing health care across all stages of life, establishing Service Delivery Network and improving universal health coverage.
In an interview with Dr. Eduardo P. Caplito, LHMRH Officer in Charge and Medical Center Chief I, he said that the activity is a follow up program of the PHA-Checkup to realize the provision of surgical intervention to those who need them.
Patients needing medical intervention and who were to undergo surgical procedures which were identified through annual medical checkups which are done in the barangay health stations, rural health units (RHUs) and the different hospitals in our place was forwarded to the DOH central office.
The program is implemented by the regional office and hospitals of DOH in collaboration with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and local government units.
Dr. Caplito said that all patients who are not under Philhealth coverage will automatically be enrolled in the Point of Care System. He added that PhilHealth will shoulder the expenses that are covered under the firm’s existing case while DOH through its Medical Assistance Program funds will pay the excess.
“The PhilHealth reimbursement from the caravan will be given to the host LGU hospitals; thus, the caravan will help the patients and provide funds to the people,” he emphasized.
In the case of LGUs, it must be noted that the Provincial LGU of Mountain Province is a partner of the DOH in implementing the Point of Care Enrolment Program of PhilHealth and recently the PLGU has covered more than 300 beneficiaries under the Point of Care program.
Through the caravan, patients will be receiving complete medical intervention. According to Surgeon Annie Claire Pekas, patients will benefit from free medical-surgical services including home medicines if necessary.
Pekas said that the surgical procedure or cases include major and minor operative care. Major operation includes thyroidectomy, cleft lip repair, cleft palate repair and 0B-Gyne cases among others while minor surgery includes excision of soft tissue masses, excision of breast mass, bilateral tubal ligation, etc.
Meanwhile, Dr. Caplito revealed that as agreed during their planning workshop in Manila, the medical caravan for this year have two phases. The first phase is the ongoing activity wherein DOH hospitals will be the venue for surgeries from June 21-27.
The second phase is slated on July 1-7 wherein identified LGU hospitals will host the caravan. In relation to this, Dr. Caplito stressed that walk-in patients will be accommodated during the duration of the surgical caravan.
For Mountain Province, Bontoc General Hospital and Besao District Hospital will host the caravan while Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital and Baguio General Hospital are the visiting hospitals.
The host hospital will serve as the venue for the surgical caravan while the visiting hospitals are DOH hospitals that will provide supplies and equipment and deploy personnel to a specific province to assist the host in the conduct of the activity.
For the Province of Ifugao, Panudpudan District Hospital will be the host and Veterans General Hospital and Baguio General Hospital are the visiting hospitals. For Apayao, Far North General hospital will host and at the same time will serve as the visiting hospital because of their capability. Coner District Hospital will also be the host hospital while Cagayan Valley Medical Center and Far North are visiting hospitals.
For Kalinga, Kalinga Provincial Hospital will host the caravan while Cagayan Valley Medical Center is the visiting hospital. Assistance will be augmented from the Baguio General Hospital Medical Center if Cagayan Valley Medical Hospital will be lacking manpower.
For the province of Benguet, the Benguet General Hospital, Atok District Hospital and Dennis Morato District Hospital are hosts while Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital are visiting hospitals.
Dr. Caplito noted that the central and regional DOH offices have added additional funds to the available funds of the visiting hospitals.
Meanwhile, during the opening ceremony, the message of Bauko Mayor Abraham B. Akilit, was delivered by Atty. Mary Joy P. Olut of the Municipal Mayor’s Office. She emphasized on the significant role of every member of an organization that is needed to achieve a goal. She also commended the DOH for the implementation of the abovementioned activity that will surely help the local LGU’s in providing essential packages of health services to the people.Erwin S. ** Batnag, PIO-MP
