Council's health panel pushes to enhance city health services

Enhancing the existing health services of the Cebu City government is now being pushed by the City Council's committee on health, highlighting areas that need consistency and attention, particularly on mental health.

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Councilor Michelle Abella-Cellona, newly named chairperson of the Council's health panel, outlined various health services to be elevated in their implementation in the coming days.

Cellona, a doctor by profession, said the first step they took was to conduct a series of meetings with heads of the Cebu City Medical Center, the Guba Community Hospital, and the City Health Department. This was done to assess how to enhance the existing health programs.

Among the priorities to be focused on is mental health, amid growing concerns over this matter. To fully assess the situation, Cellona disclosed they visited barangays and talked with officials, including village watchers, to train them as first responders.

"Kinahanglan naa gyuy makabahibaw sa kada barangay to attend to people in times of crisis, particularly those with mental health issues," said the councilor.

It is about time that responders are trained to deal with individuals displaced by flooding or fire, who may be overwhelmed with anxiety and depression, she said, citing that the youth today are also facing a crisis stemming from a broad generational gap.