First animal bite treatment center in Sarangani opens at Kiamba

KIAMBA, Sarangani (December 7, 2009) – Family Vaccine and Specialty Clinic Inc.(FVSC), a privately held company primarily engaged in the importation, distribution and administration of vaccines through clinics set up throughout the country is now open to serve animal bitten patients in the province.

Among the seven municipalities, FVSC has opted for the health unit of Kiamba to be its vaccination center which is considered first in Sarangani. Through a memorandum of understanding, the local government has allotted a portion of its municipal health office’s building to be the company’s clinic.

“Our vaccination center offers not only accessibility among local residents but it also offers the cheapest affordable vaccine shot by which the patient could save as much as 40% compared to commercial health establishments in key cities like General Santos,” FVSC supervisor James Alpuerto said. He bared that besides anti-rabies injection the company is now expanding to anti-cervical cancer and anti-H1N1 vaccine.

With a mission of making quality and essential vaccines affordable, accessible and available through a network of public and private partnerships, FVSC offers a complete range of vaccines including pre and post-exposure rabies treatment and immunization.

Currently, it has 40 centers in operation covering 15 provinces nationwide. Alpuerto expressed his confidence that the clinic will not only cover Sarangani but the entire region as well.

“We are now offering these vaccines at a very much affordable price as compared to commercial centers in the city,” said municipal health officer Dr. Lemuel Benedict Non, who led the launching Friday (December 4).

Dr. Non warned the public of quack doctors who employ strange means in treating animal bites. He also discouraged patients from doing self-medication.

“Rabies, if not administered properly on or prior to the onset of severe symptoms could be invariably fatal,” said Dr. Non.

Non further explains that in eight sessions, patients will only pay for the first six anti-rabies vaccines which only cost P300 per shot. The two remaining shots will be given free of charge.
Mayor Rom Falgui who took the initiative in forging the partnership pointed out that “the very reason why in the past years we have not implemented this, because logistically, government alone cannot afford the needed supplies and pay trained personnel.”

Rabies is a viral neuro-invasive disease that causes acute inflammation of the brain among warm-blooded animals. It could be transmitted by infected animals, most commonly by a dog-bite but occasionally by other forms of contact. It is one of the significant killers in the Philippines today. (KIAMBA NEWS CENTER/Joel C. Pinos)