The RFC State of HEALTH Report

“Despite the accomplishments, there are still so much work to be done” - Mayor Reynaldo F. Constantino said as he points into different planned projects and accomplishments of the Municipal Health Office during the first ever two-day (March 11-12) “Municipal Health and Sanitation Summit” that was attended by over 300 invited guests, provincial government and health workers and officials, Nutrition Staff, Nutri-scholars, and DSWD-12 health beneficiaries’ facilitators at the Family Country Homes Convention Center in General Santos City. (Isagani Palma – MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).

New Malungon MHO building – From left, Mayor Reynaldo F. Constantino, DOH-12 dir. Dr. Teogenes F. Baluma, Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian-Solon and provincial health officer Dr. Alvin Alejandro unveils a replica of the planned P7M-worth two-storey Municipal Health Office building that will be constructed in 2015 during the recently held 2-day (March 10-11, 2014) ‘1st Municipal Health and Sanitation Summit’ at the Family Country Homes Hotel in General Santos City . For more information, visit i love malungon-sarangani (fb) and malungon.blogspot.com (Isagani P. Palma/ Mio-Malungon).

A gleaming ‘zero’ to maternal death – Municipal health officer Dr. Rafaida Garay-Hernandez said through the activeness, determination and truthful cooperation of health workers, MHO have able to maintain a ‘zero’ maternal death last year. This is despite of the three reported neo-natal losses. The gleaming accomplishment was presented amid the recently held ‘1st Municipal Health and Sanitation Summit’ of Malungon, Sarangani at the Family Country Homes Hotel Convention Center in General Santos City. Also in photo are (seated front from left) Mayor Reynaldo F. Constantino, Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian-Solon and SP board member Virgilio Tobias. Seated rears are BM Galzote, Mun. Councilor Ben Guilley and BM Arman Guili.  (JoJo Gocotano – MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).

Dep’t heads grace MHO summit – Local government department heads are among those who lead the over 300 participants of the 2-day (March 10-11, 2014) LGU Malungon-hosted ‘1st Municipal Health and Sanitation Summit’ at Family Country Homes Hotel Convention Center in General Santos City. For more information, please visit i love malungon-sarangani (fb) and malungon.blogspot.com. (JoJo Gocotano – MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).

1st-ever held Municipal Health Summit – (2nd L-R) Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian-Solon and Dr. Teogenes F. Baluma, Department of Health-12 regional director are among top government officials who grace the recently held two-day ‘1st Municipal Health and Sanitation Summit’ hosted by the Malungon Municipal Government at Family Homes Convention Center in General Santos City. Also in photo are (from left) Malungon town health officer Dr. Rafaida Hernandez, ABC pres and Nagpan Brgy. Capt. Edna Tuanzon, Gov. Solon, DOH-12 dir. Baluma, Vice Mayor Erwin Asgapo and SP members Dr. Elmer De Peralta and Virigilio Clark Tobias. For more information, visit i love malungon-sarangani (fb) and malungon.blogspot.com (JoJo Gocotano – MALUNGON INFORMATION OFFICE).

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EXCERPT from the State of Health Report of Malungon, Sarangani Mayor Reynaldo F. Constantino during the first ever held two-day (March 10-11, 2014) “Municipal Health and Sanitation Summit” at Family Country Homes and Convention Center in nearby General Santos City. 

(OUT of deepest and sincerest concern –spontaneously cascading from the heart of honorable Mayor Reynaldo F. Constantino are tangible projects to strengthen the health, homes and personal needs of his most loved people of the Municipality of Malungon, Sarangani Province; for what was once seemingly unappealing municipality has through all these years grew into an undeniable dependability of its own - no longer projecting false and unwelcome images even among elite visitors. If ever there exist a minute ratio of shortages for the people of Malungon, it surely will be made complete in the nearest future ... through the supervision of the Constantino-led administration, and by the will of God.)

The RFC State of HEALTH Report

It is certain that “the greatest wealth is for all of us to have good health.” No amount of riches can ensure good health and make one indispensable. We might acquire riches but in the end, it won’t assure us of life beyond illness. In the words of Winston Churchill – “Healthy citizens are the greatest asset that any country can have. 

Today until tomorrow, we talk of health and sanitation. This two are linked with each other on whatever efforts we may have for development. Illness mantles the whole family without particular space for mercy.

Today, I render this ‘State of Health Report’ of the people of Malungon that we may grasp the deepest meaning of being health concerned. 

For all to know - we have one Sentrong Sigla Health Center which is a Philhealth accredited project. It has the capacity and facilities to serve laboratory examinations such as blood chemistry, tb and malaria smear, leprosy, stool examinations, family planning and dental services.

We also have one Philhealth accredited Birthing Home and 4 more birthing homes ready for accreditation with Philhealth. However, we still have to complete one in Brgy. Datal Batong, which is presently with no trained and accredited personnel. We have also 32 ka-barangay health stations in the entire municipality. 

I stand with the feeling of a proud and concerned father who just recently had 2 children passed the medical board exam. We can now all claim having two doctors, a product of the step ladder and under the Education Assistance Program. They would have been here had it not been for their oath taking and license processing in Manila. 

Our Municipal Health Office leads in the delivery of health and basic services. With the support of the Sangguniang Bayan, we have the “Maternal Neo-Natal Health and Nutrition Ordinance” which put premium not only on maternal and neo-natal care, but likewise in nutrition to ensure both the mother and child of good health and safety ... even before, during and after birth deliveries. We provide these free health facilities in our birthing homes to address the need of quality service, and continuously bolster the quality of our health services.

Accomplishments for CY 2013 

We have served 61% to 2, 638 pregnant mothers who should have completed their pre-natal check-up, and 93% of Tetanus Toxoid immunization to the targeted 2, 638 pregnant women. Among these, 83.64 over 84 percent were made deliveries through skilled personnel, while 83.26% bore siblings in various health facilities such hospitals, birthing homes and lying-in clinics. Thus, deliveries made by untrained personnel had been trimmed down from 629 in 2011 to 399 in 2013, leaving a lucid difference of 16.74 over 17 percent.

Deliveries made at a health facility increased from 64% in 2011 to 83.26 percent in 2013. But however, such could be stained with the reduction of 399 home deliveries that may have endangered the lives of both the mother, and newborn. 

An eight-baby producing municipality per day

Basing an MOH-provided data, Malungon is having a single infant birth in every three hours, or exactly eight babies everyday. And that is one reason why I urge you (barangay officials) to maintain the kubos in our Sunken Arena. For it will provide transient homes for pregnant women who are about to give birth, especially of those from far-flung and remote villages, so that they could come closer to the hospital or birthing homes before the much awaited time for a child to come.

In relation, 74% of our pregnant women have completed iron supplement; 94% among lactating mothers were provided with complete iron; and 98% who gave birth were visited by our MHO-assigned personnel. 100% newborns were initiated to beast feeding, but however, only 92% were exclusively – breastfed. Of which, 93% were fully immunized with BCG, Diptheria, hepa, and Tetanus toxoid. 

A gleaming ‘zero’ to maternal death

It is of great pride that through our health workers activeness, perseverance and sacrifices, we have able to register a zero maternal death, although there were three reported neo-natal losses. We have also detected 91 cases of Tuberculosis and got 90% of which - cured. 

Causes of morbidity and deaths

The leading cause of morbidity is Acute Respiratory Infection, followed by pneumonia and diarrhea. Safe and potable drinking water and environmental sanitation may have also contributed in giving cure to these illnesses. While most causes of mortality is Cardiac arrest with 195 cases, followed by hypertension with 41 deaths. These are life-style illnesses brought about by the kind of food intake and lack of body exercises. Other causes are accidents and renal failures. For infants, the leading cause of mortality is cardiac arrest, followed by cecebral concussion and sudden death. The leading cause of less than five (years old) mortality is still cardiac arrest, hepato gloston and sepsis effusion. 

Nutrition Status

The overall weighing result conducted to some 15, 617 or 90% of our pre-scholers population has found 70 kids to be severely underweight, with 286 others - underfed. All were given the much needed feeding support to regain normalcy. The nutrition program is a Consistent Regional Outstanding Awardee in Nutrition (CROWN), and a lone Central Mindanao Region’s representative to the search for prestigious National Nutrition Council (NNC) Hall of Fame Award in Manila. Today, the municipality has been on its 3rd maintenance award at the national level. 

Water and Sanitation

These two have great effect on health, economic and social development, including educational status of children at school. To block any possible contamination of diseases that may result to illness, we are now focusing on urgent solutions basing the data in sanitation. Despite of the upward trend, there is still 1, 034 families left, or a total of 9% of having no sanitary toilets, and 798 others with unsanitary lavatories. On the other hand, 75% of Malungon households are still using doubtful and risky source of water sources. 

Philhealth Enrollment

As we started investing on Philhealth in an aim to provide sufficient healthcare to needy constituents, the Provincial Government, SMI, Congressional Fund Allocation and NHTS were among figurative shoulders that we have leaned on. And lately of last year, DOH approved our LPRAP fund amounting to P900, 000.00 that will be utilize for our Philhealth enrollees. Of course the National Housing Targeting System have had given the biggest contribution, as we only had to do our share by way of masterlisting. The Philhealth enrolment increased every year as the budget from various sources kept of pouring in. This highly pleasing example of inter-agency and private-public partnership have caused to increase the number of beneficiaries to 13, 367 in 2013. Moreover this year, our NHTS for masterlisting and validation is already at 22, 804. 

Aligned with the investment on Philhealth enrolment is the initiative of improving health centers for accreditation. Right now, our main health center is already a ‘sentrong sigla’ Philhealth accredited facility. We have also added 6 birthing home units. One of which is now a Philhealth accredited station, while the rest four others are onway to its official recognition. Our Datal Batong-base will soon comply with such requirements, along with the selection of health personnel to be trained for the aforesaid center. In this instance, I would also like to propose for the SB to assign our LGU scholars-turned full pledged Medical Board Passers at the Malandag and Upper Mainit Health Stations in order to cater the needed health services of clustered barangays around them. 

As to what I have said, health services used to be purely service delivery that could have eaten up a lion’s share of the LGU’s budget. To show you a glance of our MHO budget in the last 4 years: we have allocated P14, 843, 607 in 2010; P14, 941, 994 in 2011; P18, 509, 101 in 2012 and P19, 476, 234 in 2013. It is normal that the trend is going up due of salary increases as mandated under the standardization law. So with the escalating cost of goods and commodities, medicines, and other health-related medical supplies. But in the inception of 2014, the budget for MHO’s MOOE has gone down to only P17, 001, 250.00 - much lower as compared in previous CY 2013. 

Due to our enrolment to Philhealth, and by providing services to those masterlisted under the NHTS, the LGU got incentive of P500.00/family payment rate or capitation fund. With the operation of birthing home using philhealth cards, the LGU gets a refund under the maternal care package in the amount P8, 000 each. This does not includes the new born care package for the baby which includes the newborn screening, where the LGU gets P1, 750.00 per newborn. For TB Dots program, a refund of P4, 000/patient is given for being completely treated in 6 months. A separate incentive of P200 per newborn, and P200 for staff development in each enrolment.

Therefore, the LGU has earned income out of Philhealth amounting to P267, 000 in 2010; P853, 000 in 2011; P6million in 2012 and P7million in 2013.

There is so much work to be done, specifically in the planned P7million-worth building expansion of our main health center, construction of 4 additional health centers to cater health services of clustered barangays, purchase of utility vehicle for our ‘Lingap sa Barangay,’ purchase of a mobile laboratory set, procurement of x-ray machine and the construction of separate room for x-ray and radiology, including additional facilities for our laboratory ... but yet, I firmly believe that these shall be availed because we are on the right track of our secret in Malungon which is – unity and cooperation. 

To Dr. Ladio, our partner in Philhealth and for all our partners in development, the World Bank headed by Mr. Edicart Galing, Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), CHD-12 regional director Baluma, representatives of SAVE The Children, PCW-AECID, Mr. Rene Paraba, The Sangguniang Bayan membes headed by Vice Mayor Erwin Asgapo, members of the ABC, and to all dedicated workers of our Municipal Health Office led by Dr. Rafaida Hernandez, MADAMO GID NGA SALAMAT SA INYO TANAN!

Hon. REYNALDO ‘Bong’ CONSTANTINO

Municipal Mayor 

Malungon, Sarangani Province

(For more details, photos and information re: 1st Municipal Health and Sanitation Summit, please see upcoming related stories. Concise and reedited by Ippalma/mio)