LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Around 1,000 Pangasinenses availed of the various health care services brought by the I Love Pangasinan Kalusugan Karavan on its third installment last October 13 in Barangay Namolan and nearby villages here.
Leading the mobile health caravan was Provincial First Lady Karina Padua-Espino, who extended the message of his husband Governor Amado “Pogi” I. Espino, III for his kabaleyans.
“This is the governor’s way of helping every one of you,” she said, emphasizing the program’s theme: “Pangkalusugang serbisyo na Organisado ng Gobyerno handog sa Inyo.
Mrs. Espino spearheaded the supplemental feeding program as well as the distribution of dignity kits to expectant mothers, school supplies and slippers to the Namolan Elementary School (NES) pupils and complimentary kits to the elderly.
The dignity kit – a pail containing a dipper, towel, soap, undergarments and hygienic toiletries – was procured though the auspices of the United Nations Population Fund and Australian Agency International Development.
Provincial Health Officer Anna Ma. Teresa de Guzman said that the All-in-One health service caravan is Gov. Espino’s solution to cascade health care services to every townspeople in the province.
“With the warm reception and growing participation of the citizenry observed during the first two editions of the caravan in Mabini and Burgos towns respectively, the governor has decided to do it from once-a-month to twice-a-month and now, to twice-a-week activity so health services by the province can reach many villages at a time,” she bared.
Medical consultations were conducted by de Guzman, Chief of Manaoag Community Hospital Don Doria, Chief of Lingayen District Hospital Athena Marie Merrera and other resident doctors from the Integrated Provincial Health Office (PHO). Medicines were also dispensed free-of-charge.
Dental services were also made available with the use of the recently acquired Dental Health Bus of the Provincial Government of Pangasinan.
Aside from conducting an information education campaign for pregnant, lactating and non-family planning user mothers, the team also set up laboratory diagnostic tests on hemoglobin, blood sugar, blood typing and urinalysis for high-risk pregnant mothers.
PHO’s “Operation Suyod” or the Tuberculosis mopping-up drive with mobile chest X-ray and the Provincial Veterinarian’s Office’s “Libreng Bakuna kontra Rabies” campaign, both provided with no charge, were also brought to the barangay.
Four rolls of Olyset or mosquito repelling nets were turned over to NES Principal Maria Teresa Perez and Namolan Brgy. Captain Faustino Ferrer, Jr., who is also the incumbent Liga ng Mga Brgy. municipal president of Lingayen.
Perez and Ferrer both thanked the governor and the provincial first lady for their heartfelt love for the province, with the latter saying, “We were never wrong in choosing him last elections.”
By Dexter A. See
