THE Dagupan City Diagnostic Center, another first in the city under the administration of Mayor Belen Fernandez, is set to open to residents by the first week of February.

Dr. Ophelia Rivera, city health officer, told the KBP Forum on January 24 that the manpower component for the center and the attached lying-in center, have already been hired and trained.

The center, a joint project of the Department of Health and the Dagupan City government, is equipped with a brand new x-ray machine bought by the city government, an echo-cardiogram machine and an ultra-sound machine provided by DOH.

The DOH provided funds for the building while the city government provided the lot and a small financial counterpart.

The ground floor of the building will be occupied by the lying-in clinic, consisting of two wards at four beds per ward, while the Diagnostic Center will be on the second floor.

Rivera said the ultra-sound machines will be used initially for pregnant mothers giving birth in the lying-in clinic before this can be used in detecting other ailments.

Councilor Dennis Canto, chairman on the committee on public health of the city council, is optimistic that the center’s services will be provided free soon as the issuance of some 10,000 health cards to all Dagupan families is completed.

Mothers giving birth in the lying-in clinic up to third delivery will be free but charges will be imposed on succeeding deliveries, Rivera said.

She further clarified that only mothers expecting normal delivery will be admitted and mothers giving birth should not be less than 18 years old.

The lying-in-clinic will be operated by the CHO in partnership with the Pangasinan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists with Dr. Betha Fe Castillo as its president.

Meanwhile, Councilor Canto said the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed a resolution supporting the application of the CHO with the Department of Health and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency seeking to expand its laboratory services so that it can also serve as a drug testing center.

Rivera explained that the laboratory facility of CHO was already used in drug-testing of drug surrenderers in Dagupan to comply with the requirement of the Barangay-based Rehabilitation Center but it has no license to issue drug-testing certification to those working abroad. (Leonardo Micua)

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