The Manila Health Department (MHD) on Sunday announced that preparations for the rainy season are in place, including mechanisms to cope with any outbreak of diseases which usually accompany it.
MHD head Dr. Benjamin Yson said water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and diarrhea, along with the more common ailments such as colds, respiratory tract infections and leptospirosis can be treated fast and efficiently – and for free – in any of Manila’s health centers and hospitals.
Yson said the MHD’s budget this year had been increased by 2.49 percent, from P722 million to P740 million, so that the department was able to hire additional personnel and render better services.
Meanwhile, the health office is conducting a continuous feeding program for severely underweight children in Manila’s public schools, otherwise called the Nutribun project, which has benefited the very poor among elementary pupils.
“Improvement in nutrition has helped many of our poor children in fighting diseases especially this monsoon season,” said Yson.
The city was able to repair and renovate 21 facilities such as health centers, lying-in clinics, geriatric clinics, and City Hall-based offices and frontline service units.