₧10-M med warehouse to rise in Davao de Oro
DAVAO CITY—A warehouse to store medicines and other essentials drugs and vaccines badly needed during emergencies would be constructed inside the capitol complex of Davao de Oro.
Governor Dorothy MontejoGonzaga led the groundbreaking ceremony in mid-december to start the construction of a 1-story Provincial Medicine Warehouse located at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Nabunturan, 86 kilometers north of this city.
The medicine warehouse would cost P10 million.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Antonio P. Ybiernas said the building would serve as a storage facility for commodities, including medicines and vaccines, as well as a satellite office to ensure the day-to-day operations of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) as well.
“This would have a small office for our supply officer so that he would be able to safeguard and monitor the commodities, so that our people would not have a problem on medicines or vaccines,” Dr. Ybiernas said.
Dr. Annabelle P. Yumang, regional director of the Davao Center for Health Development (DCHD), said the warehouse is essential, especially in times of emergencies. “Remember during the Bagyong Pablo, there are lot of people who wanted to donate, but we have no place to store them. We only have tents. We should not wait for another calamity to realize that we need this warehouse,” Yumang said.
Yumang said supply officers would be trained to look after the supplies, including proper temperature requirements to avoid contamination from pests. She said the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) would support the warehouse for maintenance and monitoring of the building.
Governor Gonzaga expressed her gratitude to the Department of Health (DOH) for supporting the construction of the building.
Local government officials who witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony were Acting Provincial Administrator Fatima Montejo, DOH representative Dr. Annie Larosa, Dr. Mary Cyrel Pasaol of PHO, Dr. Abigail Amores and Engr. Moises John Fortulazo of the Heavy John Engineering Consultancy.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ybiernas bared plans for more infrastructure projects for the health sector, including the construction of “super” health centers in strategic locations of the province that would be providing specialized health services, such as an outpatient department, laboratory, X-ray, ultrasound, birthing services, diagnostic, blood chemistry and dental services.