DOH launches program to reach far-flung areas

The Department of Health (DOH)-7 has adopted the Cebu City Jail in Barangay Kalunasan as the pilot area for its program that focuses in providing different medical services to secluded areas in need of health care.

Assistant Secretary for Health Nestor Santiago and other DOH officials yesterday launched at the jail facility the agency’s new program dubbed as “The Last Mile” that seeks to improve access to health services in hardto-reach, isolated areas and special pockets of population across the country.

Santiago said the program is a brainchild of Health Secretary Paulyn Rosell-Ubial who has instructed to bring the government’s health services to people at the “last mile” or at the farthest peripheries.

“That is why she has coined the tag, ‘saan mang sulok, kalusugan maaabot’,” he said, noting that there are still several communities that lack access to health services.

He pointed out that the Cebu City Jail is only identified as the pilot area intended for the launching, but all localities across the country are covered under the program prioritizing the target groups: the indigenous’ peoples; urban poor; Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA); and institutionalized population like in jail facilities.

DOH-7 Local Health Support Division Chief Dr. Jonathan Neil Erasmo said the launching is not only held in Cebu City but is simultaneously done in other regions – with Luzon having it at an indigenous community, while Mindanao conducted at a GIDA area.

Representing the Visayas region, DOH-7 identified the inmates of the Cebu City Jail as the beneficiary for the oneday activity providing services like medical and dental check-ups, psychosocial counseling, HIV testing, blood typing, sugar testing, among others.

“We do understand that the Cebu City Government is already providing essential services for the inmates of the Cebu City Jail. However, we want to emphasize and give our commitment at the level of our national agencies and the regional level to recognize the needs of the unreached populations,” he said.

He said the program is needed by people in far-flung or remote areas where facilities and resources are most likely limited.

The program is in coordination with DOHretained hospitals, local government units, other national government agencies and non-government organizations.