DAGUPAN, under the new administration of Mayor Belen Fernandez, launched last July 3 the “Panangaro Kinen Laki tan Bai” program, a monthly medical mission for the city’s senior citizens.

Some 200 senior citizens joined the launch held at the Senior Citizens Building at the city center with doctors and nurses of the city health office led by Dr. Leonard Carbonel, city health officer.

Carbonel said the beneficiaries are given free health check-up, pneumococcal vaccine and blood sugar testing, and medicines.

The doctor noted that pneumonia, diabetes and hypertension are the common illnesses of the elderly in the city.

Meanwhile, Lawyer Cornelia Espanol, president of the Federation of Senior Citizens in Dagupan City, requested that the medical mission be held at the barangays to make it more convenient and accessible for the patients.

“Some could no longer walk or are in need of company before they could come here while others have no (transport) fare, so we will suggest that it should be done in barangays by clustering the 31 barangays so that more could avail of the medical services,” Espanol said.

At the same time, she expressed gratitude in behalf of the elderlies to Fernandez for giving them medical attention.

Fernandez ordered the CHO to conduct the monthly medical check-up and asked all concerned agencies to make sure that all senior citizens, especially the indigents, are enrolled with Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth).

“Mayor Fernandez directed us to prioritize those belonging to the vulnerable sectors such as the senior citizens”, Carbonel said.

The indigent senior citizens can avail of all the services of the CHO for free while those who have the capacity to pay will be charged accordingly with laboratory fees.

Senior citizens make up about six percent of the city’s population, or at least 10,000.—Dada Martin Austria

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