The first-ever Cebu City super family health center that is located in Brgy. Apas is set to open on June 28, 2024. | CDN Digital Photo/ Pia Piquero
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The first-ever super family health center in Cebu City will officially open its doors to the public before the end of the month.
After an inspection of the project site on Tuesday, June 11, acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said that the center was almost complete.
The facility that is located in Brgy. Apas cost P14.9 million. It is the first super family health center in Central Visayas.
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Last September 2021, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go proposed the establishment of super health centers throughout the country to further improve access to government health services, especially during the pandemic and other similar health crises.
The super family health center will offer a range of healthcare services, including database management, out-patient services, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical services.
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Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) checkup, oncology, physical therapy and rehabilitation, and telemedicine, through which remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be made possible.
Super family health center
According to Garcia, the facility was set to open on June 28 or two years since construction works started.
He said that the project faced several hurdles during the construction period as a result of “mañana habit.” Its lack of building and occupancy permits resulted from bureaucratic delays.
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“Ngano langayon pa man nato og abli? Nganong it takes us two years? Unsa man ta? Usahay ba, mañana habit ba ni? Wala na ba tay sense of urgency sa government anymore nga dili nato mapadali og paabli ang mga importante nga mga facilities diri sa syudad sa Sugbo?” Garcia said.
Matt Serana, former officer of the Mayor’s Information and Liaison Office (MILO), who lobbied for the establishment of the project said that the center began construction in 2021. He clarified that the delays in the processing of the building and occupancy permits were partly due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The construction of the center was not a priority during the pandemic, he said.
Also, there was the leadership transition at City Hall. After the late Mayor Edgardo Labella fell ill and eventually died, suspended Mayor Michael Rama took over the leadership at City Hall, affecting the processing of the some documents.
Basic facilities
Garcia said an occupancy permit is set to be issued for the center this week, a requirement for the installation of electricity and utility lines.
The city government, Garcia said, will take care of the facility while the Department of Health (DOH) and some private donors will provide the needed equipment.
Dr. Daisy Villa, head of the City Health Department (CHD), said that Brgy. Apas will provide security to the center alongside CHD.
In addition, Villa said, they will be operating the center with ‘basic facilities’ for now. The acquisition of additional equipment will requirement funding.
“With the acting mayor nga mo support, dili guro full facilities but the basic facilities, we’ll try our best to be operational fully as much as possible,” Villa said.
Garcia said that the operation of the super family health center is expected to reduce the overcrowding in both public and private hospitals.
He added the health center will not only be limited to cater to residents of Brgy. Apas. It will also cater to residents of neighboring barangays.
More super family health centers will be built in the city, including the ones that will be built in Brgys. Labangon and Basak.