TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) -- Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa has committed to support the healthcare system in Trinidad town during his recent visit to attend the blessing and inauguration of a bulk water treatment plant in the municipality.
Herbosa noted that with the treatment plant capable of handling 1 million liters of potable water a day, the Department of Health (DOH) can already build a laboratory affixed to the Rural Health Unit.
“We will erect a laboratory, something we can hardly do without the water,” he said.
He also committed the support of the regional hospitals so that the laboratory can operate with its own hematology, chemistry, pathology, and allied laboratory services needed in the facility.
Regional hospitals can allocate more medical professionals, experts, and surgeons to conduct operations in the hospitals.
Trinidad Mayor Roberto Cajes, municipal administrator Judith Cajes, and local leaders toured the DOH official in the RHU and the town’s economic enterprise at the Trinidad Municipal College.
The municipal government has supported the building of a modern health facility in view of the increasing population of 44,035, with around 8,000 students at the local college.
Aside from the lack of a rural health physician, Trinidad also lacks access to sufficient water supply.
“This keeps the people from accessing medical attention and consultation,” bared Vice Mayor Ferdinand de Erio.
“I will also ask for your support for telemedicine, so that we can expand our professional services like the most hospitals now,” he added.
That same day, Trinidad Sangguniang Bayan (SB) passed Resolution 052 requesting the health secretary for the deployment of a rural health physician through the Doctors to the Barrios Program.
In its resolution, the SB said the local government unit can provide board and lodging for the deployed physician, put up appropriate counterpart funding for per diem, transportation, and communication allowances, funds, and other miscellaneous expenses .
Located far from tertiary health care facilities, accessing medical health services is a challenge in the town.
In Trinidad, most of the barangays are situated in remote locations. (RAHC/PIA Bohol)
