SAN CLEMENTE, Tarlac – Residents of a remote community including members of the Ayta and Abellen indigenous groups, can now access basic healthcare services more easily following the reopening of the Sitio Dueg health station in Barangay Maasin.
The facility, which was formerly a COVID-19 isolation unit, has been converted into a community health station by the municipal government. The Department of Health (DOH) has committed to supplying the station with necessary medical equipment and essential supplies.
The reopening is seen as a major relief for residents who previously had to endure long and often perilous journeys to receive medical attention. According to DOH Undersecretary Albert Domingo, the nearest health facility was an hour away, a trip that becomes extremely difficult or impossible during bad weather when roads become impassable.
“Mahalaga po ito… ‘yung mapalapit para sa ating mga kababayan ‘yung tinatawag na primary healthcare or ‘yung mga serbisyo ba, na kapag mayroon pasimple lang na nagkakaroon ng lagnat sa gitna na gabi,” Domingo said during a television interview, emphasizing the importance of bringing primary healthcare services closer to communities, such as for a simple fever in the middle of the night.
To further enhance the station’s capabilities, the municipal government, under the leadership of Mayor Roseller Toledo, is arranging for the installation of a Starlink satellite internet system. This will enable telemedicine consultations, allowing a midwife or two on-site barangay health workers to coordinate directly with doctors at the municipal Rural Health Unit (RHU).
“Pwedeng mag-usap ‘yung doktor, si doktora na nasa RHU (rural health unit) doon sa bayan, doon sa midwife or kahit walang midwife, ‘yung dalawa na barangay health worker na onsite,” Domingo explained, detailing how the doctor at the RHU can communicate with the on-site staff.
The initiative is expected to significantly reduce the need for residents to travel for basic medical consultations, providing a crucial lifeline for the isolated community. A visiting midwife and two local barangay health workers will be stationed at the facility to deliver daily healthcare services.
