SM Foundation turns over renovated Smokey Mountain health center
SM Foundation Inc. and its partner, the Philippine Business for Social Progress, turned over Tuesday the newly renovated Smokey Mountain Health Center and Lying-In Clinic in Tondo, to local officials led by Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
The turnover was also graced by local health officials and the leaders of barangays benefitting from the health center.
SMFI officials led by Chito Macapagal, corporate affairs head and trustee of SMFI and executive director Connie Angeles for health and medical programs, represented the SM family.
The renovated two-story health center comes complete with wards, waiting lounges, comfort rooms, wide-screen television at the waiting area, an activity center for children, a senior citizens’ lounge, pharmacy, TB DOTS and diagnostic and consultation areas.
These amenities for over 110,000 dwellers of barangays 128, 129, 130 and 133 are like those that could be found only in private hospitals and clinics. That’s why SMFI and PBSP officials asked the recipients to take the best care of these facilities for the long haul.
The former health center was located only at the second floor of the same building, but since it was seeking accreditation with the PhilHealth for its lying-in facility it had to be required to transfer the clinic to the ground floor to help pregnant women, especially those with advanced pregnancy stages.
It took them years to look for a donor, SM Foundation, which rebuilt the health center and placed the lying-in clinic downstairs along with ramp for those who have to be wheeled into the senior diagnostic clinic and lying in clinic (with pre and post-natal check-ups). The PBSP has an ongoing safe motherhood campaign in the whole Tondo district, where teenage pregnancy is on an alltime high and family planning is hardly every practiced.
As Dra. Evelyn Rimando, who has served with Manila Health Office and then Smokey Mountain health center since 2010, said she delivers at least 30 babies a month, or about one per day.
Wilma Baldezo, who at 21 is pregnant with her third child said she wanted to give birth right during the launch, if only she could hasten the reproductive process. “It’s like I’m in first-class private hospital,” she said adding she had always delivered only by midwives. She delivered her first baby at 16, her second at 17 and then now her third at 21. Asked if she plans on having more babies she said yes because her partner is a very responsible man whom she loves so much.
Since it was erected in 2010, the Smokey Mountain Health Center and Lying-in clinic has been tending to ailments like upper respiratory tract infection; hypertension, diabetes and pre and post-natal care. But it limits its pre-natal care to 18 years old and above, those less than 35 years old (beyond which is considered high-risk pregnancies that must be referred to government hospitals) and not over four pregnancies, Rimando said.
The nearest hospital to the health center is Tondo General Hospital, one of six districts hospitals which is right behind the health center.
The health center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday but the lying-in clinic is open all day for seven days with midwives and nursing aides and doctors or those assigned by the district hospitals for service in the health centers.
During the launch, Erap asked his constituents to take good care of the health center and not to hesitate to have their check-ups there because consultations and medicines are free of charge, and if referred to district hospitals, they would also be accommodated for free. Erap said he is making available to Manilans their basic needs from womb to tomb (with free burial at the North Cemetery).