ILOILO City – District health centers must now offer medical services for the detection of noncommunicable diseases.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod recently approved an ordinance localizing the Philippine Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Services.
Also called PhilPEN, the program is a component of the Integrated Noncommunicable Disease Prevention and Control Program of the Department of Health.
Noncommunicable diseases were among the top 10 causes of mortality in the city over the past three years, a City Health Office report revealed.
Such diseases include cervical, prostate and breast cancer; cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension; other lifestyle diseases; diabetes mellitus; and asthma.
Services that district health centers must provide under the PhilPEN ordinance include fasting blood sugar, blood pressure screening, visual acetic acid test (for early detection of cervical cancer), routine breast examination, and digital rectal exam (for early detection of prostate cancer).
These services will be funded via the City Health Office. This year, P300,000 has been allocated for the program.
But Councilor Candice Tupas, chairwoman of the city council committee on health, sanitation and hospital services, acknowledged that this will not be enough.
“Our LGU (local government unit) needs to allocate funds for the barangays to have [the same program],” she said.
Village councils must pass a resolution on the adoption of the program as well, the councilor added.
Its adoption of the program for noncommunicable diseases qualifies the city government to support from the Health department.
But “if we run out of supply from the DOH, we can activate the LGU fund to be able to buy medicines,” said Tupas.
Under the program, district medical officers, barangay health workers and volunteer health workers shall advocate on raising public awareness on the available noncommunicable disease services.
A technical working group shall be created to ensure the implementation of the PhilPEN program. (PNA)
