By Daniel P. Tapaoan, Jr. 

Aiming to strengthen primary health care in Ilocos Norte, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) has started works to establish the school’s Health and Wellness Center (HWC) at the main campus in Batac City. 

With a funding of Php 64 million, MMSU is constructing the service-oriented building this year to help increase basic health care capacity and improve medical and health services in the province. 

The fund was provided by the national government through the support of Senators Pia Cayetano and Sonny Angara. 

To be situated beside the College of Medicine (COM) and College of Health Sciences (CHS), the university’s health care center will cater MMSU students and employees, and other people in the locality. 

Dr. Policarpio Joves, COM dean, said the construction project is composed of two phases. The first phase started last June 2021 with an amount of Php 25 million while the second phase is programmed for 2022 with an amount of Php 39 million. 

“Phase 1 will serve as the infirmary for university’s internal stakeholders (faculty, non-teaching personnel, and students); while Phase 2 will serve as the first contact health care facility of the people in the communities,” Joves shared. 

The HWC will house the psychological testing center, conference room, laboratory room, medical room, dental room, and administrative and support facilities. It has a total floor area of 2,733.45 square meters with a total bed capacity of 38. 

It will complement the degree programs at COM and CHS by serving as the laboratory facility and in-campus internship hub for medical and health sciences students. 

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis said the building is significant in the university’s transition to blended learning, and its transformation as a ‘Learning Bubble’ where necessities of faculty and students, such as laboratories, are available within the campus premises. 

“This facility is also one way of helping the government improve medical and health services in the country which is heightened by the ongoing pandemic,” PSCA added. 

Apart from the HWC, the university is also constructing the 25-million Medical Simulation Center this year.  

COM equips students on primary health care

With the ongoing construction of the HWC, the university is now training its medical and health sciences students into primary health care. 

Dr. Joves bared the move to expose the students to such expertise aims to meet the lacking number of basic health care providers in the country. 

He added the Commission on Higher Education, Professional Regulation Commission, and Department of Health have issued a joint administrative order reorienting medical and allied health sciences education into primary health care. 

“We already started reorienting our curriculum into primary care, which is really aligned with the ongoing construction of the health care center,” he stressed. Also, the COM dean revealed the college will offer an elective course every summer term where medical students will be exposed in primary health care facilities, and those from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and NGOs. (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)