DOH – Ilocos Assistant Regional Director Rodolfo Antonio M. Albornoz leads the distribution of first aid kits, crutches, wheelchairs and BHS packages to beneficiares during the third health caravan dubbed as “Bagong Pilipinas Para Sa Mga Katutubo” serving the IPs of Salcedo, Ilocos Sur.
The Department of Health – Ilocos Region conducted its third health caravan dubbed as “Bagong Pilipinas Para Sa Mga Katutubo” with the theme ‘Healthy Pilipinas: Bawat Buhay Mahalaga Katutubong Pilipino Kasama Ka’, providing various health and medical services to the “Kankanaey and Bago Tribes” in the town of Salcedo, a 4th class municipality in the province of Ilocos Sur on September 28, 2023.
Sercretary of Health Teodoro J. Herbosa, in a video message, encouraged all local government units (LGUs) and partner agencies to continue efforts in alleviating the health and well-being of indigenous people and especially the communities in GIDAs.
“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa lahat ng mga tumulong upang ang health caravan po na ito ay maging matagumpay na maibigay sa ating mga katutubo ang mga kinakailangang serbisyong pangkalusugan para sa kanila. Patuloy po nating itaguyod ang kanilang kalusuguan at siguraduhing hindi sila mapapabayaan at maiiwanan.”
Various services from laboratory, dental, nutrition, mental health, PHILPEN Risk Factor Screening, diabetic retinopathy screening with the provision of prescription glasses, cervical cancer screening, vaccination, and hearing tests and consultations were conducted.
DOH also gave 200 HerbMAP packages, 200 nutriboxes, 90 buntis kits for pregnant women, and 108 oral health packages.
For medical equipment, a total of 3 barangay health service packages were turned over to the municipality of Salcedo to be distributed to selected barangays, and assistive devices including 24 wheelchairs and 11 crutches were given to identified persons with disabilities.
Scholarships were also offered for eligible Kankanaey and Bago students who are willing to Allied Health Courses like pharmacy and medical technology.
A total of 1,500 beneficiaries were given health and medical services during the activity.
Assistant Regional Director Rodolfo Antonio M. Albornoz, said that the health caravan is a part of Universal Health Care to provide health services to IP communities and residents in GIDAs.
“Bawat buhay po at mahalaga at kailangan nating pangalagaan. At tungkulin po ng DOH, bilang tagapagtaguyod kalusugan, ay mabigyan ng dekalidad na serbisyong pangkalusugan ang ating mga katutubo saan mang sulok ng bansa. Kailangang silang mapangalagaan at hindi dapat maisantabi, at maibigay sa kanila ang karapat-dapat na serbisyo o benepisyo na binibigay ng ating gobyerno.”
“Ang DOH regional office po ay patuloy na nakaantabay sa mga pangangailangang pangkalusugan ng ating mga katutubo upang maiparating sa kanila ang mga serbisyo ng ating gobyerno,” Albornoz assured.
Ilocos Sur has the biggest IP population in Ilocos region with a total of 96,396 (46%) and 9,022 can be found in the town of Salcedo.
The “Bagong Pilipinas Para Sa Mga Katutubo” health caravan was conducted in partnership with the local government of Salcedo, Ilocos Sur, Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Sur Provincial Health Office, National Commission on Indigenous People – Region 1, Ilocos Training, Regional Medical Center, Ilocos Sur Medical Center, the Philippine Dental Association of the Philippines – Ilocos and Abra Chapter, Drugstore Association of the Philippines – Ilocos and Abra Chapter and the Red Cross – Ilocos Norte Chapter.
