“Health is Wealth, You just don’t know it”
 By  Ligaya B. Tomong


People of Dipolog are fortunate enough to have leaders who are more concerned with the welfare and interest of their constituents more than anything else. The motto “Health is Wealth” does not remain a saying here but rather a reality being enjoyed by every Dipolognon.

Aside from the health consciousness of the present administration, it had luckily appointed a very qualified and capable physician in the person of Dr. Cecilio P. Siglos, as City Health Officer of Dipolog.

Re-orientation on Philippine Health Promotion Program for a Healthy Barangay - A project of the local government unit of Dipolog through the PHPP Dipolog City Technical Working Group - Training Committee.

Dr. Siglos completed his medical course in Cebu Institute of Medicine in 1978 and finished his Masteral Degree in Hospital Administration in University of the Philippines College of Health in 1990.

He worked for 14 years at the Integrated Provincial Hospital (IPHO) in Dipolog as Head of the Department of Surgery. His previous experience includes a two-year designation as Chief of Hospital in Labason District Hospital and eight years as Chief of Hospital in Rizal Memorial District Hospital. Last February 2003, Dr. Siglos was designated as the city’s Health Officer.

The local government of Dipolog doesn’t just focus in providing health services to the people but also gives more emphasis on the maintenance of environmental sanitation through strict implementation of Environmental Sanitation Programs. Photo shows local employees during a beach cleanup activity.

He was able to strengthen and intensify the different health service programs for the people in the 21 barangays of Dipolog with the full support and coordination of the whole team which include two other physicians namely Dr. Rowell Mata and Dr. Regil Bael, seven nurses, 23 midwifes, two dentists, one medical technologist, five sanitary inspectors and 103 Barangay Health Workers, which are more than enough to continue was has been started by the past chiefs of the City Health Office.

Dipolognons constantly availed different facilities of the City Health Office such as Dispensary or the so called Out Patient Department Consultation, Dental Clinic, Social Hygiene Clinic, Surgical Operations, Outreach Missions and Pharmacy that gives free medicines to the indigents in the city.
Free circumcision program conducted at the Out Patient Department ground of the City Health Office.
 

As a result of the hard work and relentless efforts of the personnel of the City Health Office of Dipolog, they had freely discharged its medical, dental and sanitary services to the barangays to ensure the excellent health of the community.

They also have laboratory which offers several laboratory examinations at a lower charge compared with private clinics and hospitals. For Complete Blood Count or CBC test the client will only pay P60, for Urinalysis P25, Blood Chemistry P100, Fecalysis of Stool Exam P25, Blood Typing P30, Pregnancy test P120 with kit and P10 without kit, and P35 for Sputum exam.

CHO personnel conduct several outreach missions particularly medical and dental services in the barangays in order to bring to the people the health services they need.
Dr. Cecilio P. Siglos, City Health Officer of Dipolog, in yellow shirt, conducts Mass Treatment on Filariasis at Barangay Punta.

People are also benefited with the national health programs implemented in the city with the full support of the City Government headed by Mayor Roberto Y. Uy. These include Cardiovascular Disease Control Program, Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Control Program, Filaria Control Program, Rabies Control Program, Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis Control Program, National Tuberculosis Program and Health Education.

The local government has also intensified its campaign on preventive activities by introducing the Philippine Health Promotion Program (PHPP) to the barangays wherein various sectors of the barangays are represented and informed of the latest health bulletins.
Medical Outreach program conducted at the Dipolog City Reformatory Center in Lower Dicayas

Health services are carried out to the people with the aid of the Barangay Health Workers who offer their time and service to the community as volunteers receiving a mere incentive of P500 a month.

The main health center in Dipolog is situated right in front of Plaza Magsaysay beside Sangguniang Panlungsod of Dipolog where principal services are provided to the people during regular office hours. A Reproductive Health Clinic is also constructed in Barangay Minaog with brand new laboratory equipments.

In order to provide health services to the people in the rural areas like Barangays Diwan, Cogon, Sinaman, San Jose and Sangkol, a Rural Health Unit is constructed in Barangay Sangkol. About 25 Barangay Health Stations was also built in the barangays to bring the health service to the people especially to the indigents who cannot afford the fare in going to the main Health Office in the city.
Even in Dipolog’s City Jail, city health personnel carry out the Filaria Control Program.
 

Health services are carried out to the people with the aid of the Barangay Health Workers who offer their time and service to the community as volunteers receiving a mere incentive of just P500 a month.

There are also several foreign assisted health programs in the city which include Matching Grant Program Financial Assistance of LGU to support the implementation of Population, Family Planning, Maternal and Child Care and Nutrition Program, Community Based Management Information System Survey to teach Barangay Health Workers in collecting data in the barangays and Woman’s Health and Safe Motherhood Project for the realization family planning and Guests Relation Officers (GRO’s) examination.

Mass Treatment on Filariasis at Barangay Punta.

In Reproductive Health Programs, CHO personnel offers expanded program on Immunization, Nutrition, Dental Health Program and Garantisadong Pambata which usually conducts Operation Timbang during the month of March.

The city does not focus only in providing health services to the people but the local government also gives more emphasis on the maintenance of environmental sanitation through strict implementation of Environmental Sanitation Programs which include the City Ordinance 123 which is also famously known as the Sanitation Code of Dipolog.

Mayor Uy is famous for his hands of steel implementation of the City Ordinance 123 which is also notably known as the Sanitation Code of Dipolog.
 

Garbage drums are loaded onto a truck that will be distributed to strategic areas in the city.

CHO also employ various waste disposal programs such as Solid Waste Disposal, Liquid Waste Disposal, Household with access to safe water, Household with sanitary toilet, Household with sanitary garbage disposal and monitor the number of food handlers and food handlers with health certificate in all food establishments and examine if they were able to comply with the standards and requirements before they issue sanitary permits and ensure sanitary procedure in the preparation and handling of food aside from the regular inspections done as a way of closely monitoring the environmental health of the city.

As a result of the hard work and relentless efforts of the personnel of the City Health Office of Dipolog, they had freely discharged its medical, dental and sanitary services to the barangays to ensure the excellent health of the community.