Governor Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza assured here Monday that her administration will continue to provide improved access to better health services especially to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

Speaking to various government officials and other stakeholders for her 100 days report here, she said the provincial health office conducted outreach programs to 72 barangays from July to September benefiting more than 13,000 patients.

“[We employ] a health within reach of everyone concept by providing improved access to better health services and upgraded medical facilities, even in far-flung communities, and intensifying preventive measures against infectious diseases,” Mendoza said.

She said they continued the mobile vaccination rollout throughout the 18 towns, reaching the far-flung areas and giving incentives of PHP200 per person vaccinated or boosted.

While the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) disrupted both social and economic development, she emphasized the need to restrengthen the mental well-being of the Cotabateños.

“The sudden death of families, friends, and colleagues due to Covid-19 and the lockdown measures have increased feelings of loneliness, isolation, restlessness, and anxiety as millions of people have been quickly forced to adapt to new realities and make drastic lifestyle changes,” she said.

Mendoza said she made sure to also focus on the management of mental health through consultation, and health education to reduce the stigma of mental disorders and provided maintenance medicines to target patients in several rural health units within the province.

“With the assurance that all Cotabateños are provided with effective hospital care services, our eight government hospitals had catered to thousands of in-patients and out-patients from different municipalities/city during the last 100 days of our administration,” she added.

Mendoza said the provincial health programs also greatly encouraged those in the marginalized sector to access affordable and effective healthcare services under the “no balance billing policy.”

She also thanked the medical frontline and essential workers who have been selfless in continuing to provide needed services to keep Cotabateños nurtured and safe, especially during the pandemic. (PNA)