28 Jul RHU-Kinoguitan, First Recipient of DOST’s RxBox in Northern Mindanao
Image Source | Mike Baños
“It’s truly a life-saving device especially for our birthing homes and health centers,” said municipal health officer of Kinoguitan Dr. Siegfried Hector B. Razo during the National Science & Technology Week 2016 celebration in Region 10 last July 23-26, 2016 at a local restaurant, referring to the Department of Science and Technology’s RxBox which is a versatile multi-purpose diagnostic device that can store and transmit a patient’s data allowing health workers in remote communities to consult with medical specialists in distant urban centers. With the Rural Health Unit of Kinoguitan, Misamis Oriental (RHU-Kinoguitan) as the first recipient of the said device in Northern Mindanao.
Razo added that the RxBox is “an all-in-one super device complete with 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), blood pressure monitor, pulse oxymeter to monitor a patient’s oxygen levels and pulse, fetal heart monitor, maternal tocometer, and temperature sensor” and that they are using the RxBox mainly to check and monitor pregnant women’s health who are about to give birth.
Image Source | Mike Baños
“To tell you a story, we have pregnant patients who are sickly, so the RxBox enables us to monitor the health of both the mother and her baby,” said Razo. “Since we are just a primary health care facility, it enables us to refer the patient to tertiary hospitals like the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) in Cagayan de Oro where they can access to better medical facilities and health care.”
With built-in medical sensors designed for monitoring blood pressure and blood oxygen levels, temperature, RxBox can also assess the strength of contraction of the mother’s uterus, and has an electrocardiogram (ECG) and fetal heart monitor.
Currently, about 1,000 RxBoxes has already been programmed by the DOST which are ready for distribution to prime concern municipalities across the country with 65 of 75 applications filed by municipalities in Northern Mindanao approved for distribution by September this year. This is according to Eng. Romela Ratilla who is the RxBox project coordinator for Region 10.
“Now we are better informed if we have to refer a patient to a higher level institution or doctor before anything goes wrong. As a primary health care center, we strengthen our referral system through the RxBox.”
Source: www.kagay-an.com
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