BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya (June 22)— An Australian mining firm-built first-class isolation facility started accommodating patients specifically those infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the gold and copper deposit rich upland barangay (village) of Didipio here.
According to lawyer Joan Adaci-Cattiling, OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI) president, the P10.8 million Didipio Family Health Center (DFHC) was refurbished to serve Covid-19 infected patients at its host community in Didipio and its neighboring areas.
Constructed in 2018, the DFHC was funded by OGPI as one of the company’s commitments to community development in the village, being the host barangay of the company’s gold and copper project that started operation in 2013.
Adaci-Cattiling said the isolation facility which can accommodate up to 15 people with separate room allocations for confirmed cases, suspected cases and close contact individuals is complete with medicine for patients with respiratory problems and equipped with oxygen and rapid antigen test kits.
“The mining company allocated around P1.6 million for the procurement of equipment, medical supplies and the much-needed repairs of the health facility,” she said.
“OGPI will also allocate one of its company nurses to take special regular duty at DFHC,” Adaci-Cattiling said adding that in collaboration with the barangay local government unit (LGU) of Didipio, four barangay health workers have already transferred to the newly refurbished DFHC facility.
The initiative to come up with the isolation facility at the DFHC came following the surge of Covid-19 cases in Didipio and neighboring villages soaring up to 147 cases since March.
In his remarks during the facility inauguration on June 15, this town’s mayor Romeo Tayaban emphasized the importance of an established isolation structure while noting the continuous rising of cases in the Cagayan Valley region.
“Let’s make this DFHC useful for the next generation,” Tayaban said.
DFHC will be operated by the Didipio LGU with the supervision of the municipal health office (MHO) here.
Dr. Elizabeth Joaquin, MHO chief, said she looks forward to the development of DFHC as a hospital in the future so it can cater to more patients even from other villages in Kasibu town.
Henry Guay, Didipio village acting chairman, said they are now working in coordination with MHO and OGPI on the accreditation of the facility by the Department of Health for access to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or PhilHealth.
Engr. Edgar Rivera, OGPI officer-in-charge, noted the importance of mutual cooperation among the LGUs, community and private sector in overcoming the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“As long as OGPI is here, we continue to work with our stakeholders to provide necessary support in the achievement of their goals,” Rivera said adding especially now that Covid-19 infections continue to create havoc as more areas in the region become areas of concern.