THE Cagayan de Oro City Government on Wednesday, March 6, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Education (DepEd) expanding the coverage of PhilHealth’s primary care benefit to teaching and non-teaching personnel across the region.
With the agreement, all of DepEd’s 150 teaching and non-teaching staff, including their family members, will avail of a free annual check-up at the J.R. Borja General Hospital (JRBGH).
The program, called Tamang Serbisyong Kalusugang Pampamilya (Correct Family Health Service or “Tsekap”), provides an essential package of health services including complete physical examination such as weighing of under five children, developmental assessment of infants.
It also covers blood pressure measurement, eye, ear and dental examination, breast exam; laboratory test like blood typing, blood sugar testing, urinalysis, sputum exam, fecalysis, malaria smear testing, eye checkup, complete blood count and newborn screening for infants.
Marlon Niño Arrabaca, PhilHealth Cagayan de Oro head, said aside from basic consultations, drugs or basic medicines for asthma, urinary tract infections and hypertension is also free.
“This is basically the gist, tagaan ug access ang personahe sa DepEd to the services of JR Borja (we give the DepEd personnel access to the services of JR Borja). This is indeed another milestone agreement of the city,” Arrabaca said.
DepEd regional director Arturo Bayocot, meanwhile, lauded the city for putting the education sector as its priority agenda.
Bayocot said the agreement is a good move to prevent or cure diseases of teachers.
“Health is very important component especially in DepEd, we just have been stressed last week because of an employee of the DepEd central office. He came here, and after taking dinner, he unfortunately died,” he said.
“He was rushed to the hospital but did not make it. Because he has been diagnosed with hypertension but was not religious in taking medicines,” he added.
Dr. Ramon Nery, JRBGH chief, said he is confident that the city hospital can deliver the health needs required.
Nery said he will create an express lane especially for teachers visiting the hospital.
“We will not only take care of OPD needs, but if condition warrants, if the hospital can address the need, we can cater all of it,” he added.
Mayor Oscar Moreno for his part said, this is part of the local government unit’s effort to decongest the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) and “focus on the cases they are supposed to deliver”.
“We are doing this to unload them from so much burden, to make space available because NMMC is supposedly for high level cases, this is part of leveling up,” he added.
The Tsekap program aims to provide poor and marginalized Filipinos with free access to essential health packages of the government’s health agenda. (PJO)