CAMIGUIN (PIA) –  Noting the current health indicators, challenges, and evolving needs of the population, the provincial health office of Camiguin announced that this year residents can expect significant changes in its healthcare system.

“We will be now implementing our new organizational structure, health service delivery, and health system support division here in our province,” said Dr. Magnolia Naman. 

In order to ensure the well-being of the people in the province and give every Camiguinon access to quality healthcare services, the Provincial Government of Camiguin conducted the first Local Health Board Meeting on January 18 at the New Capitol Building.

Key agenda items included discussions on the Universal Health Care (UHC) roadmap, updates on COVID-19 cases, vaccination accomplishments, implementation of Playbook 4, the upcoming Camiguin Health Summit, and promotion of the Wireless Access for the Health project. 

The province’s current standing in UHC integration is one of the significant points discussed during the meeting. According to data, the province's status in UHC integration is now at 34 percent. This means that more individuals may have access to preventive, curative, and promotional health services.

The board also advocated for the establishment of the Health Service Delivery Commission, the Health System Support Commission, and the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee (PTC), addressing the delays in the procurement supply chain and making the limited number of specialists in the province a factor.

“Nadugay ta sa creation of the executive order for PTC since daghan members ang required, and we all know that Camiguin only has a few specialist doctors [We have encountered delays in the creation of the executive order for the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee due to the requirement of a considerable number of members, and we are aware that Camiguin has a limited number of specialist doctors],” said Aman. 

On a positive note, Aman was able to communicate with other specialists and agreed to be part of the PTC.

Aman also provided updates on COVID-19 cases in the province with one patient reported for January. While the province has the highest accomplishment of flu vaccine for the entire region, she also acknowledged the need for the lack of stock of Remdesivir in almost the entire country. 

“Wala na’y stocks for almost the entire Philippines. Nag-canvass man jud to sila sa Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Cebu, wala. Lisod na pangitaon ang Remdisivir na tambal as COVID [There are no stocks available for almost the entire Philippines. They have canvassed in Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, and Cebu but found none. It's challenging to find remdesivir as a treatment for COVID-19],” said Aman.  

On promoting a smoke- and vape-free community, the meeting also underscored the implementation of Playbook IV. It focused on priority areas, which include recognizing governance, implementation and ordinance, financing, information, education, and communication (IEC) materials, and monitoring and evaluation as the important components of implementing the playbook.

The commitment to these initiatives highlights the provincial government's dedication to fostering a health-conscious community and ensuring that every Camiguingnon has access to quality healthcare services. (KAPG/PIA-10/Camiguin)