BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — Early detection and cancer screening is now accessible in Baguio City with the opening of the first Blood and Cancer Care Clinic on Thursday, August 29, 2024.
Located at the Baguio City Health Services Office, the said clinic which is the first in the Cordillera region, and aims to optimize and empower the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC) by reducing its patient load.
BGHMC Cancer Center Head Kimberly Ubando said the center will bridge the gap between primary and tertiary care.
“Since we don’t have a city hospital to cater to most of the primary and secondary care, we are gearing towards universal health care. So, we are optimizing; we are empowering the primary healthcare of Baguio City so that there will be a collaboration. So no more of the clogging, but more of bridging the gap,” Ubando said.
The Blood and Cancer Care Clinic operates every Thursday between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. It offers services for early detection and screening for blood and cancer patients. Basic diagnostics will be done first, with referrals for advanced testing and treatment when necessary.
The first patient in the clinic is Cecilia(not her real name) who noticed a lump on her right breast.
“Para sa akin mahalaga ito kasi nakakatulong sa atin lalo na sa mga mahirap din na walang kakayahan para magpa-checkup sa mga private hospitals. Kasi sa BGH po din kasi minsan is maraming tao, crowded. So mahirap pumila. So ‘yung oras mo na pupunta po doon, maghapon,” she stated.
Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda emphasized the importance of having a comprehensive flowchart that will guide patients from symptoms, prevention, early detection, treatment, and aftercare.
“I think it should cover the entire treatment, from registration, preventions, early detection, treatment, and aftercare for survivors. I hope this will be done. In other words, we need to see an action plan for this particular cancer program,” Tabanda said.
She also stressed the importance of working together with other health service providers in order to ensure that patients are managed better in terms of cost of treatment.
In line with this, they discussed the proposal of Tabanda for the localization of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act to improve services that the city can offer to cancer patients. The proposed ordinance is still on the first reading. (DEG, PIA-CAR/Fatima Gilledo and John Paul Moyano, PHINMA UPang Interns)
