Cavite partakes in the Lung Month Celebration

avite observed Provincial Lung Month Celebration and Ceremonial Launching of iDOTS Phase II on August 16, 2022, at The Bayleaf in the City of General Trias, through the Provincial Health Office.

The event was attended by almost 200 medical professionals from the rural health unit of province.

At the beginning of the program. Dr. Nonie John Dalisay, Provincial Health Officer II, spoke on the adoption and implementation of Integrated Delivery of Tuberculosis Services (iDOTS). Followed by a welcome remarks of Dr. Nelson Soriano, Provincial Health Officer I, urging everyone to keep coming up with innovative ideas that will help the delivery of TB services in the province. Aside from that, he reminded everyone that during orientations, seminars or trainings provided by the PHO and DOH, send and assign someone who is more qualified and knowledgeable to convey the programs given to them properly.

The Provincial Health Team Leader, Dr. Orlando Padilla, then gave an inspirational message during which he mentioned the correlation between our environment and lungs. He imparted that if we want to have healthy lungs, we must have a pollution-free environment for it equates to prolonging our life and preventing us in acquiring diseases. Hence, we must always take good care of our lungs.

Dr. Maria Elena Castillo-Gonzales extended her profound and sincere gratitude to all medical personnel and local chief executives for their hard work, support and dedication in order to lessen the burden of tuberculosis in the community. She also let everyone know that the region had previously expressed its intention to accept the challenge and implement iDOTS Phase II across CALABARZON. Dr. Castillo-Gonzalez then concluded her message by saying “Together, Let us all end Tuberculosis.”

Afterwards, the ceremonial launching of iDOTS Phase II was kicked off. With this, a road map that represents the commitment in moving towards iDOTS Phase was launched and the medical professionals united in lighting the path by placing their lamp post stickers on the track as a sign of their support and commitment to the said program. Then, they simultaneously remarked “Sama-sama, tulong-tulong sugpuin ang TB sa lalawigan ng Cavite.”

In closing, Dr. Armand Dotollo explained that TB is a multifactorial illness that affects people whether or not they have symptoms and whether they are infectious. He added that we are still experiencing the pandemic and other infectious diseases that may hamper the delivery of health care services, but despite this, healthcare workers are still very eager and motivated to provide the best patient-centered care in the area. He, then, imparted that “Failure is not the opposite of success, but it is part of success.”

Dr. Dotollo concluded his remark by leaving the message “life is like a bicycle, to keep your balance, you must keep moving.”

Highlights of the event were the awarding and recognition of top performing Local Government Unit, and the intermission number of some medical practitioners.