An official from the City Health Office (CHO) reported that nearly 1,000 individuals have already renewed their health cards since January 2, 2024.
Dr. Isagani Paul Braganza, the Focal Person of the one-stop-shop and rural health physician of CHO-Dispensary main office, said in a radio interview on Davao City Disaster Radio, on Friday morning, January 5, 2024, that the official issuance of health cards began on January 2 and will continue until March 31, 2024.
He said that they are attending to approximately 1,000 individuals daily.
Braganza said that the establishment of one-stop shops on the fifth floor at Gaisano Grand Citimall has provided a spacious area beneficial to accommodate the high number of people seeking health card renewals.
“Nagka-anam anam na ug kadaghan until yesterday January 4, so sa mga pila ka adlaw nga umaabot mag expect nga mas daghan pa gyud na sila (We've seen a steady increase until yesterday, January 4, so in the coming days, we anticipate an even larger number of people)," he said.
Individuals required to obtain a health card include workers from food and non-food establishments, especially those with occupations involving skin-to-skin contact like massage therapists and nurses.
Regardless of whether they work in a private or public institution, a medical certificate is necessary.
For employees to secure a health card, they must fulfill specific requirements, including a chest x-ray valid for six months, urinalysis, and fecalysis valid for three months, an official receipt of the health card worth P50 payable at the City Treasurer's Office, cedula, and a valid ID with an image.
He added that workers engaged in jobs involving an exchange of body fluids require an additional requirement—the Hepa B test result, valid for one year, for pink health cards.
However, he clarified that for occupations involving skin-to-skin contact, such as nurses and massage therapists, a pink card will be promptly issued.
For security guards and personnel, the office mandates neurological and drug tests.
CHO categorizes health cards into three colors: pink for jobs involving skin-to-skin contact, green for non-food jobs, and yellow for those in the food industry. RGP