RHU III Opens for Under-Served Barangays

RHU III Opens for Under-Served Barangays

by Resty S. Odon

 

(Photo courtesy of RHU III)

“Sa wakas, natapos din!” (At long last, it is finished!), Mayor Cezar Quiambao jokingly heaved a sigh of relief upon the official opening of Rural Health Unit (RHU) III at Brgy. Carungay on September 20, 2019.

Mayor Quiambao explains, “Noong ako ay nasa private sector pa lang, natapos ko ang Skyway ng two years. Samantalang ito, maliit lang na klinika, pero umabot ng three years! Ito ay dahil sa mahigpit na procurement process ng gobyerno – maraming kailangang pumirma. Kung walang budget, di mauumpisahan, kaya kung kailangang abonohan muna ay sinasagot ko muna.” (When I was still with the private sector, I was able to finish the Skyway project in two years. …While this one, just a little clinic, took three years! This is because of the strict procurement process of the government – there are too many signatories. And if there are no available funds, a project won’t be jumpstarted, that is why if there is a need to advance spending, I come to the rescue.)

“Palagay ko ay outdated na ang procurement process ng gobyerno” (I think the government’s procurement process is already outdated.), he averred.

It can be recalled that in 2016, Mayor Quiambao announced that the construction of an RHU III was in the pipeline among his priority infrastructure projects. It was to be built inside a 1,200 sqm lot donated by the family of Carungay Barangay Captain Virgilio Romano.

According to Municipal Engineer Eddie Melicorio, this project was worth around P3M.

Remarkably, the rest of the barangay captains of the other 12 barangays that belong to the catchment area of RHU III registered complete attendance to the affair. These barangays, apart from Carungay, are Reynado, Inirangan, Tatarac, Apalen, Pangdel, Caturay, Sanlibo, Hermoza, Malioer, Idong, Inanlorenza, and Tanolong.

Of course, it is expected that RHU III’s operations will significantly decongest RHU I at II. The new facility is now under the supervision of RHU II Rural Health Physician, Dr. Adrienne Estrada, who will have to divide her time, together with her staff, between Wawa and Carungay.

As of this writing, the staff is composed of 1 doctor, 1 dentist, 3 nurses, 1 medical technologist, 4 midwives, 1 nursing aide, and 1 utility aide. Open on Mondays through Fridays, from 8 AM to 5 PM, the new facility’s offerings include pedia and adult consultation, prenatal check-up, TB-DOTS, laboratory tests such as blood chemistry analysis every Tuesday; urinalysis, fecalysis, and complete blood count every Tuesday and Thursday, and dental services every Tuesday and Thursday).

Dr. Estrada revealed that, with the approval of the 2020 budget, plans are afoot for the hiring of additional personnel that are sorely needed for Bayambang’s brand new clinic.