New mobile clinic boosts healthcare in Iloilo

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Department of Health has turned over a new mobile primary care facility to the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO), the first of its kind in the province.

“We will deploy this mobile care facility to remote towns to offer services such as X-rays, ultrasounds, and tests for hemoglobin, CBC, and cholesterol,” said Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, IPHO head,.

“This is really a big help to bring healthcare services closer to our people,” she added.

The mobile clinic is equipped for X-rays and basic laboratory tests, including complete blood count, urinalysis, and fasting blood sugar tests, among other services.

Colmenares-Quiñon noted that the IPHO has consistently requested a mobile clinic to address gaps where local health resources are limited.

Health officials from the IPHO are currently in Manila for training on operating the facility.

Colmenares-Quiñon mentioned that the license for the mobile facility was registered under the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan since it is the only district hospital in the province with a level 3 accredited medical laboratory.

Colmenares-Quiñon emphasized that the IPHO has sufficient health professionals for the mobile clinic to meet the needs of remote areas.

“We will reach as many as possible, especially those that are underserved and cannot be reached immediately,” she added.