MANILA, Philippines – Should the next disaster strike, some rural health units in Iloilo should be able to operate even without electricity.

The provincial health office of Iloilo on Thursday, December 11, will receive from the Foundation for Rural Electrification and Development (FRED) solar suitcases for 20 rural health units.

These suitcases can provide electricity to medical equipment used for maternal and child health services. The clinics are located in 11 towns: Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad, San Dionisio, Sara, Ajuy, Concepcion, Lemery, San Rafael, and Barotac Viejo.

“This support from the foundation can help us recover the maternal and child health services in the municipalities affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda,” Provincial Health Officer Patricia Grace Trabado said in a statement Wednesday, December 10.

Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) in 2013 made its 5th landfall in the town of Concepcion and affected the rest of the province. (READ: Iloilo works towards recovery after Yolanda)

The Iloilo Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also reported earlier that at least 26 of the 42 towns in the province, including Calinog, are prone to flooding (READ: Rebuilding Iloilo to become a disaster-resilient LGU)

Health stations in the following barangays will also receive solar panels:

• Barangay Bangcal in Carles
• Barangay Cano-an in Estancia
• Barangay Binon-an in Batad
• Barangay Devera in Sara
• Barangay Bay-ang in Ajuy
• Barangay Tambaliza in Concepcion
• Barangay Lo-ong in Concepcion
• Barangay Poblacion in Lemery
• Barangay San Antonio in Barotac Viejo

Supporting hospital development

Iloilo will also develop more hospitals and rural health care units in 2015 after its Sangguniang Panlalawigan appropriated P224.3 million ($5.03 million)* out of the province’s P2.287-billion ($51.27 million) budget for the Hospital Management Office.

The newly-formed office is in charge of the province’s hospital in the municipality of Pototan and 11 other district hospitals.

“[I’ve] always wanted our hospitals to be true hospitals for the poor. It is the reason why we have been focusing our efforts in institutionalizing reform in our medical services, as well as in our facilities,” Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr said in a separate statement Wednesday.

About P10 million ($224,190.00) will be allotted for the office’s capital outlay to buy more ambulances and medical equipment.

Meanwhile, the provincial health office will get a budget of P75 million ($1.68 million), with P2.5 million ($56,047.00) allotted for the treatment of malnourished and wasted children. – Rappler.com

*US$1 = P44.61