17 barrio doctors to serve APEC

CEBU, Philippines - At least 17 doctors assigned in remote areas in Central Visayas were pulled out from their areas of assignments since Monday for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meetings.  

The physicians, who are all under the Doctors to the Barrios Program of the Department of Health-7, were from the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, and Negros Oriental.

Ligaya Moneva, DOH-7 health education and promotions officer, assured that medical operations in DTBP areas would not be disrupted as other medical staff will take over.

“Dili gyud totally mabiyaan ang trabaho ug pasyente kay duna man ta’y mga regular doctors assigned,” she said.  

She said that doctors under DTBP will not all be deployed altogether during the entire APEC duration. She said the deployment will be on a shifting basis. Some of them will field a maximum of thrice a week.

She admitted that DTBP doctors are not supposedly part of the APEC preparation. However, because of the extensive operation needed for the APEC meetings they were called to augment.

“We are mandated to prioritize APEC and to ensure that the delegates are safe while here,” she said.

On top of the DTBP, Moneva said that six DOH-retained hospitals are sending two medical personnel each to augment their medical force. These are Talisay District Hospital, St. Anthony Mother & Child Hospital, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Eversley Child Sanitarium & General Hospital, Don Emilio Del Valle Memorial Hospital and Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Bohol.

Some private hospitals in Cebu will also deploy their medical personnel for the said international event.

The DTBP and other volunteers from the DOH-retained hospitals and private hospitals underwent an orientation last Monday. — (FREEMAN)