An outbreak of diarrhea in 1994 prodded San Miguel, a municipality
located in the hinterlands of Bohol to set up an infirmary
and a health assistance program. The local officials converted
an abandoned building into an infirmary to accommodate initially
the diarrhea patients and eventually obstetric as well as
not-so-serious hospital cases. Other infirmary facilities
were later procured using the funds generated from the Nutrition
Month activities as well as from the Countryside Development
Fund of the District Representative.
Since there were cases, which needed financial assistance,
the Confederated Health Councilors Association, composed
of Barangay Kagawads who were chairpersons of the committee
on health in heir respective barangays formulated the health
assistance program which provided interest-free loans fro
purchase of medicines of admitted patients. The seed money
has been increased with the membership fees of P50.00 per
household.
The Municipal Health Officer, who reports to the Local Health
Board oversees the operations of the 10-bed infirmary managed
by a resident physician with the help of two visiting doctors,
four nurses and one midwife. Around 97 barangay health workers
act as nursing aides and provide laundry and janitorial
services. The infirmary serves an average of 100 patients
a month. In addition to the infirmary and the health assistance
scheme, health education seminars and trainings are conducted
on disease prevention, management and control, first aid
and other basic health skills. As a result, there is improved
health care, increased knowledge on health, improvement
in sanitation and reduced incidence of infectious diseases
and increased family income.
