‘Olympics-inspired’ medical facilities, team ready to aid athletes

By: Glendale G. Rosal - 6 months ago

Dr. Rhoel Dejaño (third from left, front row) joins a group photo with the rest of the Palarong Pambansa medical staff and personnel during their final briefing at the infirmary of the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC). | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Renowned sports physician Dr. Rhoel O. Dejaño left no stone unturned in making sure that the Palarong Pambansa’s medical team is ready for the week-long competition next week.

In an interview, Dejaño, the “Sportsman of the Year” awardee of the 38th SAC-SMB Cebu Sports Awards told CDN Digital that he planned and designed Palarong Pambansa’s medical team from the Olympics.

Dejaño followed such a blueprint after he served as one of the volunteer sports physicians in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

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Fast forward to 2024, Dejaño was tasked to lead Palarong Pambansa’s medical team that will oversee the welfare of more than 12,000 athletes from 19 regions competing in 34 sports.

Their main headquarters will be at the official infirmary in the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) located at the Danceport Team Cebu City’s dance studio, while the two main hospitals are the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) and the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

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“I brought in specialists and doctors from Manila and from here in Cebu that will assist the athletes in need of medical assistance,” said Dejaño.

The infirmary boasts not just of its doctors and nurses, but also a musculoskeletal ultrasound for the prompt diagnosis of musculoskeletal and other injuries.

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Dr. Rhoel Dejaño (third from left) poses for a photo with the CCMC officials and fellow Palarong Pambansa medical team officers. | Contributed photo

600 medical volunteers

Meanwhile, over 600 medical volunteers comprised of doctors, nurses, physical therapists, psychologists, and emergency responders will be deployed throughout all playing venues and billeting quarters to ensure the safety and well-being of all delegates of Palarong Pambansa.

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Also, Dejaño revealed that there is an area for rehab and physical therapy for injured athletes.

He also tapped BTL Philippines, a medical equipment manufacturer, to bring in top-of-the-line equipment to make Palarong Pambansa’s medical team and infirmary fully capable of aiding injured athletes.

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“We are capable of diagnosing severe injuries such as torn muscles or ligaments, or inflamed ligaments. We also tapped a company that will provide us the ultrasound machine. There is an area for rehab and physical therapy for injured athletes, and we have top-of-the-line equipment nga akong gidala para gyud aning Palarong Pambansa. We partnered with BTL Philippines for the medical equipment such as ultrasound, cold therapy, laser, and high-end medical equipment,” Dejaño said.

Sports psychologist

Those dealing with pain from their defeat can avail of free counseling from Dejaño’s sports psychologists who will be at the infirmary during the entire duration of Palarong Pambansa.

“We also have sports psychologists that can help our athletes deal with the defeat in competition and other related concerns,” Dejaño said.

All these were materialized based on Dejaño’s experience as one of the sports physicians during the 2016 Olympics.

“More or less, pero di man gyud ta makasunod ana, but as much as possible, mura ug prototype nato sa Olympics setup. From the field we have a medical team there that can bring the injured athlete to the infirmary, so they don’t have to bring them to the nearest hospital,” he said.

“Kung dili kaya sa infirmary, dad-on sa hospital. Naa jud chain of referral system and purely volunteerism from those I reached out to. Kung di makaya sa CCMC and Vicente Sotto, two private hospitals in Chong Hua and UCMed mao atong referral, madala ang patient didto. It’s actually the government and private sector working together for Palarong Pambansa’s medical team.”

The other partner hospitals of Palarong Pambansa’s medical team are Saint Vincent General Hospital, Perpetual Succour Hospital, Visayas Community Medical Center, Mendero Medical Center, St. Anthony Mother and Child’s Hospital, and Eversley Child Sanitarium and General Hospital.

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