THE DEPARTMENT of Education aims to establish more than 1,800 dental and medical clinics in schools nationwide by the end of the second quarter this year.

“We are looking to equip more schools with clinics equipped with a lavatory and water system for handwashing and cleaning needs, comfort room, and patient’s receiving area in our commitment to strengthen schools’ capacity to protect our learners, especially with our current situation,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

These clinics will have a medical officer, dentist, and a nurse, and an alternate trained teacher who will supervise the clinic in their absence.

“The said clinics can also cater to students in other nearby schools, both elementary and high school,” Bureau of Learner Support Service-OIC Director Lope Santos III shared during his monitoring of various Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd programs in DepEd-Region III.

Dr. Leoncio Del Corro, the Regional III supervising dentist in Region 3, said that 144 or about 80 percent of the recipient schools have installed dental chairs, examination tables and hospital beds. They also received wheelchairs and over-the-counter medicines.

“Masasabi ko na ready na ang ating mga school dental health care program kapag nagkaroon na ng face-to-face, at mai-deliver natin lahat ng kinakailangang serbiyo. Hindi lang dental, pati ‘yong medical services and nursing services, including ‘yong lahat ng flagship programs mai-deliver rin natin,” Del Corro said.