BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya (February 25)—The CT Scan Center at the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital (NVPH) here will soon offer its services to indigent individuals in the province with the newly-acquired computed tomography (CT) scan machine.

Governor Carlos Padilla said the provincial local government unit-owned and -managed NVPH here can now cater to poor patients who need to undergo CT scan diagnostics.

“We were able to acquire the new CT scan machine for NVPH through the Department of Health’s Universal Health Care Program,” Padilla said.

He added that the newly acquired medical equipment is part of the office of the governor’s long-term plan to further improve the health services in their provincial hospitals where most of the indigent residents would prefer to seek medical attention.

The NVPH management said their counterpart was the construction of the building to house the CT scan machine. 
Dr. Arlene Jara, NVPH chief, said the CT scan machine will be operational in a month after all installations are completed in their CT Scan Center at the NVPH compound.

“We also need to send our radio technologists for training so they will be fully equipped and learn how to operate to operate the Computed Tomography machine,” Jara said.

She said the provision of medical equipment like the CT scan machine will boost the NVPH’s capacity to provide free specialized health services to indigent patients.

QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (January 12)—In a move to support the Philippine campaign against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), a British firm here has encouraged all its employees and contractors to receive their jabs for their protection.

James Carmichael, FCF Minerals country manager, said the company has coordinated with the Municipal Health Office (MHO) to come over to Barangay Runruno where it operates to conduct their vaccination program for their employees and contractors.

He said this was spearheaded by the company’s Occupational Safety and Health or OSH department in support of the country’s campaign of achieving herd immunity against the dreaded Covid-19.

On January 12, 2022, Dr. Julie Ann Bingayan, Quezon town municipal health officer, together with her staff came over to FCF Mineral’s medical clinic to conduct a continuation of a series of their mass vaccination program for the company, according to Carmichael.

Bingayan said the vaccination covered first doses, second doses and booster shots which were offered to all FCF employees whether regular or probationary, contractors and subcontractors.

“The vaccination at our medical clinic was for everyone working on site. We encouraged and invited them to avail of the vaccine for their protection from the virus,” Carmichael said.

On January 6, 2022, FCF Minerals also partnered with the Sangguniang Bayan of the neighboring town of Solano in reaching out to their constituents who have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Prioritizing dedicated front liners and marginalized sectors of the community in Solano, FCF Minerals turned over groceries for distribution,” Carmichael said.

He said the help extended was made possible and funded under the 2022 Social Development and Management Program (SDMP) of the company.

In Quirino province, FCF Minerals through its Community Relations Office (CRO) also turned over assorted medicines to the Municipal Local Government Unit of Diffun in support of the operation of their Rural Health Unit on December 22 last year.

The FCF-CRO said the medicines funded under the company’s SDMP, were accepted by Mayor May Garnace Calaunan and municipal health officer Eden Pata for their constituents.

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QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (May 19)—To provide information, education and motivation services for primary health care, FCF Minerals Corp. has partnered with Barangay Ruruno, the mining firm’s operations host village.

James Carmichael, FCF Minerals Country Manage, said the company donated medical supplies for this quarter to Runruno Barangay Clinic for its services to the residents of the village.

“We are supporting the barangay local government of Runruno through theirRrunruno Barangay Clinic for their continuous operation benefiting at least 5,000 local residents,” Carmichael said.

FCF Minerals said their support to the village clinic includes its services to maternal and child health, child rights, family planning and nutrition.

“We are committed to continually support this activity under the 2021 Social Development and Management Program that aims to contribute to the advancement of health care in Barangay Runruno, Carmichael added.

Meanwhile, FCF employees started to get their annual flu shot at the mines site’s medical clinic on May 18.

Carmichael said their medical team has available flu vaccines and continues to encourage everyone to be vaccinated because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

FCF Minerals physicians noted that getting a flu vaccine this year will be more important than ever.

“Though it will not prevent Covid-19, it will reduce the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths on the health care system and conserve scarce medical resources for the care of people with the dreaded Covid-19,” they said.

They also added that getting vaccinated against flu will not just be beneficial to them but may also protect people around them including those who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness, young children, older people and people with certain chronic health conditions.

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (May 14)—The Department of Health (DOH) Region 2 received today 84,000 doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine.

The vaccines were shipped via plane and were received at the Tuguegarao City Airport.

Following processes and protocols during its arrival, the vaccines were immediately brought to the DOH cold storage facility through the joint efforts of the Tuguegarao City Police Station, the Food and Drugs Administration and the DOH.

Right after the inspection of the vaccines from the cold chain facility, allocated vaccines for Cagayan and Isabela provinces were delivered to the Cagayan Provincial Health Office (PHO), Tuguegarao City Health Office, Isabela PHO and the City of Ilagan Health Office 1 and 2.

As per vaccine allocation for May 14, 2021 concerning the first dose, around 5,540 will be allocated for the above-mentioned health offices. A total of 687 will serve as second doses for those who received the vaccine earlier.

On May 15, 2021, the city health offices of Santiago City and Cauayan City, and the Nueva Vizcaya PHO and Quirino PHO will have their first dose allocation of 1,615, and 353 will serve as second doses.

According to the national Covid-19 Vaccination Operations Center report, as of May 12, 2021, Region 2 was allotted 10,700 doses of AstraZeneca for the first batch and 2,600 for the second batch. A total of 134,780 doses was recorded for both Sinovac and AstraZeneca.

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (May 11)—The provincial government will be putting up its own reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) laboratory to hasten monitoring, detection and treatment of suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients.

Engineer Edgardo Sabado, Provincial Planning and Development Office chief, said the establishment of the RT-PCR laboratory is one of the priority projects to be implemented at the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital (NVPH) in Bambang town this year.

He said this will improve and boost the Covid-19 response of the provincial government through its frontline health workers in its five hospitals in the province and the Department of Health (DoH).

“It will speed up our detection and treatment for our suspected Covid-19 patients so that further transmission of the virus will be further prevented,” Sabado said.

Dr. Edwin Galapon, Provincial Health Office chief, said having a dedicated RT-PCR laboratory in the province will enable health workers to know positive and negative results of suspected Covid-19 patients in a day compared to the two to 7 days period waiting time from laboratories and testing centers outside the province due to a huge number of RT-PCR requests and referrals.

He said the RT-PCR laboratory has already an initial fund of P5 million from the provincial government for the construction of its building.

“The building construction is now up for public bidding while the other equipment and facilities will also be funded so that it will be fully equipped and operational the soonest possible time,” Galapon said.

He added that the Region 2 Trauma and Medical Center(R2TMC) in Bayombong will also put up its own RT-PCR laboratory through the DoH.

Galapon said the RT-PCR laboratory and the P10 million isolation building are some of the major infrastructure projects to be implemented within the NVPH.

Other projects will be the P140 million Charity Ward Building, Medical Arts Building and Waste Water Treatment Facility.

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (May 10)—Governor Carlos Padilla received on Monday morning his first dose of Sinovac vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in his office at the Capitol Compound here.

Padilla’s first dose was administered by Nurse King Harold Bautista of Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital in Bambang town.

Bautista said the governor received his vaccine under A2 priority or as a senior citizen and that the governor is scheduled to receive his second dose on June 7 or 28 days after his first dose.

The National Inter-Agency Task Force has also allowed local chief executives belonging to the high-risk areas of coronavirus disease 2029 (Covid-19) to be vaccinated like Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba who received his first dose of Sinovac vaccine on April 12.

Bautista said Padilla went through five steps in the vaccination process such as registration, screening, counseling, vaccination and monitoring.

On April 13, Padilla was discharged from Salubris Medical Center in Solano town in this province after he has fully recovered from Covid-19 infection.

According to Bautista, there was no indication of adverse effects during Padilla’s post-vaccination monitoring.

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (May 6)—The provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya assured there is enough supply of food assistance and an additional P4 million worth of family food packs for families severely affected by the pandemic.

Flordelina Granada, provincial social welfare and development (PSWD) officer said family food packs procured by the provincial government will serve the needs of Covid-19 affected villages in different municipalities.

According to Dr. Edwin Galapon, provincial health office chief, the province has recorded 2,563 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the past nine months starting March 1, 2021 but is down to 342 active cases as of May 3.

He said the surge of Covid cases in the province during this period had a positivity rate of 16.47 percent with the highest recorded cases on April 5-11 with 660 cases.

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (May 4)—The number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in this province is now on a downtrend, according to health officials here.

Dr. Edwin Galapon, provincial health officer, said that as of May 2, there were 342 active Covid-19 cases based on RT-PCR results with 16 new confirmed cases.

He said the province also recorded a total of 2,563 confirmed Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic last year that peaked for the past nine weeks since March 1 this year and posted Nueva Vizcaya’s positivity rate at 16.47 percent.

“The peak of our high cases were recorded within the April 5-11 period where 660 Covid-19 cases were recorded but there is now a downtrend of our cases,” Galapon said.

Governor Carlos Padilla yesterday met with key provincial government officials to map out plans in preparation for the worst-case scenario of Covid-19 in the province.

BY OLIVER TO BACCAY, PIA

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (May 4)—The president of the Provincial Councilors League here has distributed bicycles to all barangays of this city for the use of Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members.

Board Member Maila Rosario Ting-Que said there were 50 units of bicycles procured amounting to P390,000 sourced out from the fund allotted in her office as an ex-officio board member through the office of Governor Manuel Mamba.

She said the bicycles are very essential in times of lockdowns as there are very minimal allowed transportation, especially during the implementation of stiffer community quarantine status in the city.

“They can use these bikes to go to the markets, drug stores and other essential and important needs for that period,” Que said.

She added that they can use the bikes in the delivery of goods or any assistance local officials want to extend to the families that could not afford to go out because of restrictions and to those who are under quarantine or within zones that are placed under granular lockdown.

Que also said they chose bicycles as these are convenient, environment-friendly and promote a healthy lifestyle.

“Padyak ng kabataan tungo sa isang malusog at maaliwalas na kinabukasan. Basta’t sama-sama tayong lalaban para sa bayan, lahat ay ating malalagpasan,” Que added.

The city councilor and provincial board is hopeful that the SK officials will maximize the use of the bicycles for its very purpose to help ease transportation burdens in the barangays, especially this times of pandemic.