The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance establishing the Baguio City Integrated Cancer Control program.
Under the proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Betty Lourdes F. Tabanda, it shall be the policy of the city government to adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development to prevent cancer and improve cancer survivorship.
Further, the local government shall progressively realize the right to the highest attainable standard of health of the people, bearing in mind the necessity of whole-of-system, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health policies, programs and plans aimed at cancer control.
The ordinance states that the City Mayor shall designate a dedicated coordinator who shall be primarily responsible for the mainstreaming of the problematic components of the Baguio City Integrated Cancer Control Program across the 16 district health centers and all city-operated health facilities.
Moreover, the City Health Services Office, in coordination with the Department of Health, the City Administrator’s Office and other relevant executive departments, city-operated hospitals, and other cancer care and cancer research facilities, shall constitute a technical working group to study the feasibility of establishing or designating a city-level specialty center for cancer care towards an appropriate endorsement for appropriation, procurement, concession or other legal modalities.
The CHSO in coordination with other health facilities and district health centers shall establish a community-based patient navigation and referral system for cancer aligned with the city’s primary care provider network, health care provider network, or other officially established health care service delivery network.
The ordinance claims that financial support mechanisms from relevant departments and offices of the local government, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other public and private charitable institutions shall be looped into the cancer patient and referral system for reduction or elimination of out of pocket expenses.
For the distribution of information on health promotion and cancer control programs and other activities under the Baguio City Integrated Cancer Control, the city government through the Public Information Office and the CHSO, shall use various forms of communication and health advocacy.
Among these modes are traditional media such as radio, television, social media, the website of the local government; regular barangay or community based assemblies; tarpaulins posters or signages to be posted in schools, business establishments, other public places and conspicuous areas; public events such as contests promoting health literacy and other forms for information distribution and communication technology and materials. By Dexter A. See
