Health center in isolated Tarlac sitio reopens — DOH

MANILA — A barangay health station in an isolated sitio in Tarlac has been reopened, easing residents’ access to healthcare, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Albert Domingo said on Friday.

Domingo said prior to the reopening of the health center in Sitio Dueg in Barangay Maasin, San Clemente, the nearest health facility was an hour away.

Aetas, the undersecretary said, have resettlement areas in the sitio.

“Mahalaga po ito… ‘yung mapalapit para sa ating mga kababayan ‘yung tinatawag na primary healthcare or ‘yung mga serbisyo ba, na kapag mayroon pasimple lang na nagkakaroon ng lagnat sa gitna na gabi,” Domingo said on state television PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

[It is important to bring primary healthcare—or these types of services—closer to our fellow Filipinos; for instance, in cases where someone develops a simple fever in the middle of the night.]

The municipal government of San Clemente will install a low earth orbit satellite or Starlink which would allow telemedicine.

“Pwedeng mag-usap ‘yung doktor, si doktora na nasa RHU (rural health unit) doon sa bayan, doon sa midwife or kahit walang midwife, ‘yung dalawa na barangay health worker na onsite malapit doon sa ating mga kababayan,” Domingo said.

[The doctor at the Rural Health Unit (RHU) in the town can coordinate with the midwife, or, if there is no midwife, with the two barangay health workers who are stationed onsite.]

The health station was a COVID isolation facility which was then renovated by the local government. The DOH will help in providing equipment and materials.