Mangatarem: About 79,000 residents of Mangatarem town in Pangasinan are expected to benefit from the Super Health Center, which has broken ground in Barangay (village) Umangan.

According to Philippines News Agency, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Ilocos Region information officer Esperanza Tinaza stated that the PHP12-million health center, which commenced on January 10, is funded under the Department of Health-Health Facilities Enhancement Program (DOH-HFEP) under the 2024 national budget. The project is anticipated to be completed within the year.

‘It is envisioned as a state-of-the-art polyclinic, which aims to improve healthcare access for residents of Mangatarem and neighboring towns. Spanning a total building area of 611 square meters, the health center offers a comprehensive range of medical services,’ Tinaza said in a statement.

The health facility will include a pharmacy and specialized medical areas such as a clinical laboratory, dental clinic, ultrasound and electrocardiogram facilities, consultation areas, and rooms for X-ray, birthing, and minor surgical procedures, among others, she added.

DOH Ilocos Region director Paula Paz Sydiongco, in a separate statement, highlighted that the center is designed to address primary health concerns, minor medical cases, and non-critical conditions. ‘There are two rural health units in the municipality of Mangatarem that cater to the 79,000 population, and with this new additional Super Health Center, the gap in primary care is bridged. It also aids the secondary and tertiary hospital in the town in attending to the further needs of the patients,’ she stated.