Belmonte urges holistic approach to health care

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. is urging the city health department to adopt a holistic approach to health care, which is responsive to the needs of residents, majority of whom belong to the urban poor.

"It is imperative for city health officials to formulate programs and projects based on the needs of residents to make it more effective," the mayor said.

In a directive to city health department officer-in-charge Dr. Antonieta Inumerable, Belmonte told the health official to implement the city’s own programs.

The mayor issued the directive as the city health department allayed fears of a possible rise in meninggo cases because of the death of an 11-year-old pupil of New Era University. Inumerable assured that necessary measures arw being implemented by the city health department in coordination with the New Era Hospital and University.

Belmonte asked Inumerable to coordinate with City Administrator Paquito Ochoa so that vital projects like good nutrition for children, clean water, sanitation, and basic education can be given appropriation in next year’s budget.

In a report to the mayor, Inumerable said her department has already met with homeowners associations, barangay officials, and environmental protection and waste management officials for the conduct of a supervised clean-up that started last April.

"Barangays with dengue cases reported in the past are being given priority in the sanitation campaign," Inumerable said.

Preventive measures have also been initiated to address the proliferation of various diseases prevalent during the rainy days, including regular water sampling analysis and active surveillance of the disease.

Inumerable also reported that immunization against complications of measles, dengue, and other seasonal diseases, is given to infants.

The city health department has been conducting lectures on cleanliness and proper nutrition in the city’s 142 barangays as part of the preventive measures against diseases.