LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is expected to start the construction of 13 health facilities, including health stations and rural health units, in various parts of Legazpi City and the municipalities of Camalig, Daraga, Manito, and the island of Rapu-rapu.
Albay 2nd District engineer Danilo Villa Jr. said the soon-to-rise health facilities will augment the existing ones in the five local government units to cater to a population of 451,765.
Villa noted that the projects have a total allotment of PHP36.2 million and their full implementation will start within this year.
“Construction of health stations and rural health units in different local government of the second district of Albay is part of the Department of Health’s (DOH) Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP 2018) where the DPWH is the lead agency for the construction in accordance with the memorandum of agreement between our department and DOH regional office in Bicol,” he said.
In the municipality of Camalig, three health stations will be constructed, to benefit some 66,904 residents.
Five health stations, including a rural health unit extension, will be constructed in the municipality of Daraga, which will serve at least 126,595 people.
Three barangay health stations will also be constructed in the island-town of Rapu-rapu, which will benefit 36,920 residents while another two health facilities in Manito will be constructed to serve 24,707 townsfolk.
Legazpi City will also construct one rural health unit that is expected to serve part of the 196,639 total population.
“The role of the DPWH is to execute the implementation phase, which is the construction (phase), and complete it according to the schedule as set,” Villa said.
The HFEP has been a boon to many communities all over the country. Although no technical indicator has been assigned to measure it, the visual impact of a newly-constructed or face-lifted hospital or outpatient clinic can be very empowering to communities.
Albay 2nd District Congressman Joey Salceda said in an interview that funding for HFEP projects is a great enabler, providing the basic capital investments necessary to provide health services to population groups.
“This project is aligned with Kalusugan Pangkalahatan, and the HFEP has to closely link with licensing and accreditation of health facilities, develop mechanisms to leverage for sound fiscal management and financial mechanisms to support operations (especially provision of health human resources) and maintenance of health services by local government units and agencies, develop premier specialty and subspecialty facilities among the DOH hospitals that are strategically located and are with potential for expansion and flexibilities to meet the requirements of emerging health needs, emergencies and rapid technological advancement,” Salceda said.
He also noted that the project will identify effective medical and information technology systems that will facilitate patient care and referral, and reduce delays and transportation costs.
“It will optimize the use of information systems in program management to improve efficiency in planning, stakeholder participation and accountability,” he added.
According to Salceda, a health care infrastructure is more than just a building. Rather, it includes the nurses, doctors, and other health care providers who work for the welfare of patients, he said.
“It’s the health services that localize specialty care and it is community resources that provide jobs and opportunities,” he said. (Mike Dela Rama/PNA)
