City Council approves MOA with NMMC for community outreach

THE 20th City Council, in its regular session, presided over by Vice Mayor Jocelyn "Bebot" Rodriguez, has enacted an ordinance authorizing Mayor Rolando A. Uy to sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the community outreach program of Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) – Department of Pediatrics at the Child Development Center (CDC) in Barangay Carmen in collaboration with the City Social Welfare and Development Department (CSWD).

In his letter to the City Council, Mayor Uy emphasized that the program immerses pediatric residents-in-training in serving preschool children two to five years old. This includes conducting formal assessments at the CDC to ensure developmental milestones are met.

Under the MOA, NMMC will provide regular health services adhering to the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) program, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention.

It will also facilitate developmental assessments for children showing potential delays, conduct family surveys, organize community-based activities such as health lectures, screenings, and vaccinations, and refer children to subspecialty clinics when needed.

The program also serves as a platform for community-based research to enhance outreach initiatives.

The city government, in turn, commits to supporting NMMC’s activities by evaluating intervention outcomes, ensuring data accessibility, assisting in vaccination and screening programs, and providing necessary logistical support for research and outreach efforts.

The ordinance was reviewed and endorsed by the Committees on Health, Nutrition, and Health Insurance, chaired by Councilor Maria Lourdes S. Gaane, and on Laws and Rules, chaired by Councilor Edgar S. Cabanlas.