By Juliet B. Saley

BONTOC, Mt. Province –More health development projects are coming in continuously improving the health services in the province.

Mt. Province is a beneficiary of the European Commission (EC) Grant and the Health Facility enhancement Program of the Department of Health.

Based on the records of the Provincial Health Office here, the EC Grant 2007 under the Province wide Investment Plan for Health has provided 26 laptops which were distributed to Rural Health Units, Provincial Health Office and Health Partners. 19 desktops and 12 Projectors DLP were also given to RHUs and the Provincial Health Office.

The EC Grant s also provided medical/laboratory equipments namely two units of ECG machine with analyzer, four units Nebulizer heavy duty, two Enema cans, two diagnostic sets, two oxygen concentrator, and one automated hematology analyzer which were given to Bontoc General Hospital. 20 pieces Spine Board Fiber Glass which were distributed to RHUs and hospitals.

It has also funded the renovation of the OB Complex and the Project Water Analysis Laboratory of the Bontoc General Hospital which amounted to P1,749,000.00.

Other equipment funded under the 2007 budget and part of 2008 budget are on the process of procurement.

Aside from EC Grant, the Health Facility Enhancement (HFE) Program 2008 of the Department of Health has provided the province medical/laboratory equipments worth P21,057,225.00. The Bontoc General Hospital received equipments worth P4,638,375.00; Barlig District Hospital received equipments worth P8,179,500.00; Paracelis District Hospital , worth P3,650,850.00; and Besao District Hospital, worth P4,538,625.

Other equipments worth P17,398,000.00 were released by the HFE this year which were distributed to the rural Health Units and Barangay Health Stations. The municipalities of Besao received equipment worth P2,100,000.00; Bauko – P730,000.00; Besao – P1,000.000.00; Bontoc – P850,000.00; Paracelis – P1,350,000.00; Sagada – P2,195,000.00; Sabangan – P595,000.00; Sadanga – P3,578,000.00; and Tadian – P5,000,000.00.

Aside from medical/laboratory equipments, the EC Grant and the national government have also allotted funds for the construction of RHUs and Barangay Health Stations (BHS) in the province.

Under the EC Grant for CYs 2008 and 2009, it has provided a total amount of P19,3000,000.00 for the construction of RHUs; BHS in the province; construction of the Bonifacio Ward, repair of the Doctors quarter including its rooftops, repair of various ward all of the Bontoc General Hospital; and repair of leaking roof of the Besao District Hospital.

The Health Facility Enhancement Program 2009, on the other hand, provided the amount of P47,639,000.00 also for the construction of RHUs, BHS and the construction of an emergency room at the Bontoc General Hospital.

During the Provincial Health Board meeting held last Tuesday, Governor Maximo B. Dalog informed the body that infrastructure under the EC Grant will be implemented by the provincial government.

Dalog said the provincial government will also implement the projects programmed under the Health Facility Enhancement in the municipalities of Sadanga, Natonin, Barlig, Sagada and Paracelis.

The municipalities of Bontoc, Besao, Bauko, Tadian and Sabangan represented by their respective Mayor and/or Municipal Health Officer have expressed their desire to have a tripartite MOA ( Center for Health Development-CAR, the Provincial Local Government Unit and Municipal Government Unit) for the infrastructure under the Health Facility Enhancement Program.

These municipalities will be the one to implement the project in their own respective localities, Dalog added.

Dr. Ryan Guinaran stressed during one of the PHB meetings that before implementing the projects, there should be a clear document to prove that the lot where the facility will be constructed is owned by the government, and not by a private individual.

With all these health development projects coming in to this province, the Bontoc General Hospital is continuously getting the much needed improvements for its possible upgrading into a tertiary care level hospital.

The Municipal Health Offices, meanwhile, are improved and equipped to provide comprehensive preventive and primary curative health services and also meet accreditation requirements for TB DOTS, Maternal Care Package, out Patient Benefit and other quality standard. While some Barangay Health Stations will be improved and developed to be accredited as Maternal Care Package/Birthing Clinic, and the district hospitals are now being equipped with modern facilities and equipment. **PIA MP