Wednesday, October 17, 2007 2 Cebu City health centers offer free blood tests
ASIDE from the City Health Department (CHD) and the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), two health centers in Cebu City also offer CBC (complete blood count) and platelet count, which are vital laboratory tests in determining dengue fever.
Moreover, the health centers in Barangays Mabolo and Poblacion Pardo will perform the tests not only for people in their respective territories but for all Cebu City residents.
The CCMC, CHD, and the two designated health centers will also accept tests referred by private doctors.
This way, patients who do not have the money to pay for laboratory examinations can have the tests done for free.
At least 1,000 dengue cases were recorded in Cebu City as of Sept. 30, with 25 deaths, topping the list in Central Visayas.
Dr. Raymond Ogan, City dengue coordinator, announced that while other health centers could make mere referrals, the two centers could make laboratory examinations.
Cebu City is now under a state of calamity. The City Council appropriated P5 million to fund laboratory tests and medicines that will be given to dengue patients for free.
Last week, the City’s dengue task force started a massive education campaign on dengue prevention and detection.
Acting Mayor Michael Rama also met with the administrators of public and private schools, barangay officials, barangay health workers, nutrition scholars and local media members.
“We have to bring all the barangays together because we’re not talking of just 20 barangays affected by dengue. There are 73 out of the 80 barangays that have dengue cases,” he said.
He called for the meeting to inform the barangay and school officials on the declaration of a state of calamity and the free hospital services for suspected dengue patients.
He also informed the barangay officials and health workers to tap their police stations in transporting dengue patients to the hospitals, especially patients from mountain barangays.
The city officials are hopeful that with the massive information campaign, the number of dengue cases will go down in the coming months even if health officials projected that dengue cases will peak in October and November. (RHM)
