Metropolitan Arrangements - Philippine Institute for Development ...

Case Study:Puerto Princesa'sSatellite Clinics 3 3 ]
Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator.
Occasionally, the mayor also visits the satellite clinics.
Impact of the Project
Before the satellite clinics program was implemented, it used
to fie difficult for the barangay people to get medical services. This is
because minimum transport time from the nearest barangay to the
city proper, where most of the health facilities are located, is one
hour. Also, the roads are rough and transport to and from a barangay
averages twice per day. Under these conditions, many people did not
seek medical attention, resorted to quack medication, or consulted a
doctor only when their illness had worsened. Others died without
any medical treatment or while waiting for transport to the hospital.
The satellite clinics gave the barangay people greater access to
curative services. They handle emergency cases aside from simple
illnesses. For more serious and complicated cases, the clinics are
equipped with ambulances to bring the patients to hospitals. Thus,
they serve as vital link to the city's referral system. With the satellite
clinics, emergency cases increased while the number of hospital
patients with simple illnesses declined.
From 1993 to 997, the clinics served an average of 47,000 padents
per year. Table 4 shows the types of services rendered for 1993-1995.
Most of the cases attended to were respiratory infections and other
simple illnesses. Without the satellite clinics, these patients would
have proceeded to hospitals or not have received medical treatment
at all. By their existence, the satellite clinics enabled the early
treatment of diseases and decreased the number of padents going to
Table 4. Satellite Clinics' Services and Number of Patients Served
Number of patienLs served
Services 1993 1994 1995
Consultation 43,665 43,360 37,619
Confined 890 1,582 898
Transport 338 400 363
Delivery 36 76 876
Medical examination 1O0 15
Tooth extraction 590 724 1,254
Others (pre-natal, family
planning, urine exam) 169
Total 45,519 46,242 49,744
Source: Puerto Princesa City Planning and Development Office.