THE Cebu Provincial Government has partnered with Baguio City to adopt its advanced health system, aiming for faster data collection and analysis to provide immediate relief from illnesses.
This collaboration was formalized after doctors and experts from Baguio personally assessed Cebu’s healthcare infrastructure.
Public health consultant Dr. Elisse Nicole “Nikki” Catalan expressed the Province’s intention to implement Baguio City’s real-time disease surveillance system.
“It’s a really, really impressive system, and it’s already working in Baguio. Mayor (Benjamin) Magalong, in his capacity, doesn’t need to ask for a report; it’s there in real time,” said Catalan.
This innovative system provides rapid and accurate data on illness cases, such as dengue, through a centralized health tracker. It allows leaders and local health workers to report and view the real-time situation of disease cases, eliminating the need to contact each municipality individually for data.
Among the doctors who visited the province were Dr. Donnabel Panes, city epidemiologist of Baguio, and Dr. Annely Jane Celocia, a national board member of the Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians.
Dr. Panes, Baguio City’s epidemiologist, explained that Baguio’s real-time disease surveillance system complies with Republic Act 11332, also known as the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act. She noted that while implementing such a system might initially show a surge in reported cases, this isn’t alarming. Instead, it indicates improved data collection and a better ability to pinpoint areas needing immediate medical intervention, even in remote locations.
She clarified that the system allows for granular data analysis, down to the barangay level, enabling health officials to respond quickly to specific areas. Dr. Panes emphasized the importance of prioritizing the monitoring of diseases prone to outbreaks, as these not only strain the healthcare system but can also negatively impact the economy.
Earlier, Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro committed to the continued modernization of Cebu’s healthcare system, including plans to establish a real-time disease dashboard to monitor the 16 hospitals in the province. / ANV
