In a video message, Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, voiced his belief that the development of more Super Health Centers across the country will enable the government to assist more underprivileged Filipinos, particularly those living in rural areas.
“Layunin po ng mga centers na ito na mas ilapit pa sa ating mga kababayan ang mga serbisyong medikal ng gobyerno, lalo na sa mga nasa liblib na lugar at pinaka nangangailangan ng mga ito,” explained Go.
“Sa pamamagitan nito, hindi na nila kailangang pumunta sa mga malalaking ospital na kadalasan ay nasa mga syudad kung wala namang malalang sakit,” he added.
The Super Health Center, according to Go, is an upgraded version of the rural health unit. It will have a pharmacy, birthing rooms, out-patient department, dental services, and other minor services in addition to laboratory facilities, minor operating and emergency rooms, and other services.
The senator previously stated that with the budget allocated in the 2022 Health Facilities Enhancement Program, the government will be able to build 307 Super Health Centers across the country this year. He hopes that additional funding will be included in the 2023 health budget so that the government can build more especially in other grassroots communities.
“Sabi ko nga, now is the time to really invest in our healthcare system. Umaasa ako na ito ang huling pandemya sa ating buhay pero ang totoo hindi natin alam kung kailan darating ang susunod,” expressed Go.
“Talaga pong nabigla ang ating healthcare nung dumating ang pandemya kaya naman pursigido po talaga ako na palakasin pa po ito sa abot ng aking makakaya. Dapat po talaga palagi tayong one-step ahead,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Go highlighted that medical assistance programs from the government are conveniently available through the Malasakit Center at the Butuan Medical Center.
Malasakit Centers host concerned government agencies with programs that provide medical assistance to Filipino patients, particularly the poor and indigent.
Signed into law in December 2019, Republic Act 1463 or the Malasakit Centers Act, which Go primarily authored and sponsored in his first few months as senator, institutionalized the Malasakit Centers program.
With the enactment of the law, all hospitals run by the Department of Health all over the country and the Philippine General Hospital in Manila are now mandated to establish their own Malasakit Centers.
Hospitals run by local government units and other public hospitals may also establish their own Malasakit Centers provided that they meet a standard set of criteria and guarantee the availability of funds for the operation of their centers, including their maintenance, personnel and staff training, among others.
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