Previous Story
Kagman Community Health Center turns 2
»Tinian, Rota may also have community health centers
The Kagman Community Health Center marked its second anniversary yesterday morning with a small get-together with staff, lawmakers, government officials, and health providers.
The center’s executive director, Vince Castro, said it is a great achievement to turn the old juvenile detention center in just two years into a successful and prospering health center for the community.
“Even though this is our second anniversary, KCHC actually has been applying for the grant since 2003. That is when the vision came out to have a community health center here on Saipan. They chose this area and it was renovated into the health center it is today,” Castro said.
“It is not successful by itself; it is the community’s collaboration,” he added.
Lt. Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, who spoke on behalf of Gov. Eloy S. Inos, said the center is a good opportunity for advancing healthcare for the community of Kagman, but in reality it is actually an opportunity to advance healthcare for the whole island.
Because of the success of KCHC, Torres said the Inos administration is working on expanding the same model to Rota and Tinian.
Castro noted that they finally got their first grant in 2012; back then, it was only $608,000. In 2013, it went up $650,000 and from 2014 to this year it totaled $984,000.
“This is a big jump from the beginning. There will be more to come in the future,” Castro said.
KCHC board chair Velma Palacios said it was an honor for KCHC to finally open after almost 10 years of waiting. Palacios said she was already a board member before KCHC came into play back in 2002.
Castro and Palacios said that they have partnered with Commonwealth Office on Transit Authority to provide patients transportation services, due to some patients missing their appointments.
They are now looking at extending and expanding their services in Kagman with additional buildings since they don’t just serve the patients from Kagman but also those from other villages.
“We want to improve KCHC’s access to the community and its clients because providing all levels of care and the quality of care is necessary,” Palacios said.
Other officials who attended the celebration were Reps. Larry Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan), Ed Propst (Ind-Saipan), Francis Taimanao (Ind-Saipan), and Ralph Yumul (Ind-Saipan).
Everyone is welcome at the Kagman Community Health Center, even those who reside outside Kagman. To make an appointment or to get more information, call 256-5242.
