Stroke rehabilitation center opens in Barangay Tibungco, Davao City

Stroke survivors in Barangay Tibungco, Davao City, can now get therapy and checkups closer to home after a community-based rehabilitation center for stroke patients was inaugurated in the area, according to the Daily Tribune.

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go joined Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte at the opening. The event was held together with the blessing and turnover of the Tibungco Super Health Center nearby, which offers primary healthcare services to residents.

Go, who is vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, said the new facility would spare stroke survivors from having to travel to hospitals for follow-up care and therapy. Stroke can impair a person's movement, coordination and speech, and recovery often takes a long time and relies heavily on family members and caregivers.

According to the report, the Tibungco Super Health Center is part of a wider push to bring consultations, diagnostic services and preventive care closer to communities.

Go also pointed to Republic Act 11959, the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which he principally authored and sponsored. The law requires specialty centers in Department of Health hospitals across the country, covering services such as cardiovascular care, brain and spine care, and physical rehabilitation, to make advanced treatment more accessible and affordable.

In Davao City, the Southern Philippines Medical Center offers specialized cardiovascular services among other care. Go said he has supported the development of cardiac catheterization facilities at the hospital to boost its capacity for advanced cardiovascular and vascular procedures.

The senator called for cooperation among the Department of Health, local governments, medical professionals and other stakeholders so that health facilities are properly equipped and staffed. He credited the city government, local officials and health workers for supporting the expansion of community health services, and said he would continue to back initiatives that improve access to treatment and rehabilitation, especially for patients needing long-term care.