SM Foundation Inc. and its partner, the Philippine Business for Social Progress, turned over last week the newly-renovated Smokey Mountain Health Center and Lying- In Clinic in Tondo, to local officials led by Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada.
The turnover was likewise graced by local health officials and the leaders of barangays benefitting from the newly-renovated health center. SMFI officials led by Chito Macapagal, Corporate Affairs head and trustee of SMFI and Executive Director Connie Angeles for health and medical programs represented the SM family.
The renovated 2-storey health center comes complete with wards, waiting lounges, comfort rooms, wide-screen television at the waiting area, an activity center for children, a senior citizens’ lounge, pharmacy, TB DOTS and diagnostic and consultation areas.
These amenities for over 110,000 dwellers of barangays 128, 129, 130 and 133 are somewhat like those that could be found only in private hospitals and clinics, a privilege they never would have enjoyed in their lifetime. That’s why SMFI and PBSP officials asked the recipients to take the best care of these facilities for the long haul.
The former health center was located only at the second floor of the same building, but since it was seeking accreditation with the Philhealth for its lying-in facility it had to be required to transfer the clinic to the ground floor to help pregnant women, especially those with advanced pregnancy stages.
It took them years to look for a donor, SM Foundation, which rebuilt the health center and placed the lying-in clinic downstairs along with ramp for those who have to be wheeled into the senior diagnostic clinic and lying in clinic (with pre and post-natal check-ups). The PBSP has an ongoing safe motherhood campaign in the whole Tondo district, where teenage pregnancy is on an all-time high and family planning is hardly ever practiced.
The health center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday thru Fridays but the lying-in clinic is open all day for seven days with midwives and nursing aides and doctors or those assigned by the district hospitals for service in the health centers.
