The Department of Health (DOH) has provided essential health services to over 36,000 patients through the Laboratoryo, Konsulta, at Gamot para sa Lahat (Lab for All) and Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair initiatives in Central Luzon.

During the sixth episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas by the Philippine Information Agency, DOH Central Luzon Center for Health Development (CLCHD) Regional Director Corazon Flores highlighted that the programs aim to ensure every Filipino experiences health and well-being.

“We have conducted a series of Lab for All and Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair events in different provinces across the region from 2023 to May 2024. For the Lab for All program, First Lady Liza Marcos spearheaded the initiative in collaboration with various agencies, including the DOH, to bring healthcare and other essential services closer to the public,” she added.

Services offered included diagnostics, medical consultations, eye check-ups, ultrasounds, ECGs, X-rays, minor surgeries, and medicine distribution.

Additionally, the DOH CLCHD’s Primary Health Care Day initiative catered to more than 1,800 patients, offering comprehensive services from diagnostics and immunizations to family planning.

“These activities bring health services closer to communities, aligning with the administration’s vision of accessible healthcare for all,” Flores emphasized.

From 2022 to June 2024, the DOH disbursed P4.93 billion through the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program, underscoring the agency’s commitment to making healthcare accessible to all.

“Our goal is to mobilize the health sector towards achieving our objectives with clear, simple directions,” Flores underscored.

She also announced that in December 2023, the entire Central Luzon was declared a Malaria-free region.

Meanwhile, CLCHD Assistant Regional Director Lailani Mangulabnan noted that the DOH also provides medical and financial assistance to indigent and financially incapacitated patients.

“Patients who are confined in our DOH hospitals can visit our Malasakit centers to receive financial assistance that can help with their medical expenses,” she said.

These initiatives underscore the agency’s dedication to making healthcare accessible and comprehensive for all Filipinos, further solidifying Central Luzon as a model region for health and well-being. (PIA Region 3- Pampanga)