4 district hospitals to operate next year

NEXT year, Cebu Province will have four provincial hospitals, said Provincial Engineer Eulogio Pelayre.

The Province is currently upgrading the Danao City and Balamban hospitals to a 100-bed capacity each.

The Bogo District Hospital will follow.

The hospitals in Bogo and Danao have a 50-bed capacity each, while Balamban has 25 beds, he said.

The Carcar Provincial Hospital now admits patients but has yet to fully utilize its 100-bed capacity. Pelayre said they are still correcting some minor deficiencies.

When they finish the out-patient department (OPD) and obtain a fire safety clearance, Capitol will apply for a full occupancy permit from the Department of Health to allow them to use all the 100 beds, Pelayre said. He said the OPD is undergoing major repair. The hospital uses its dental section for out-patient clients.

Pelayre said Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia did not allocate an additional budget for the upgrading of the hospitals because she already prepared its budget last 2011. The expenses will be considered as continuing appropriations.

Garcia apportioned P70 million last year for the construction, rehabilitation, furnishing and maintenance of provincial and district hospitals and birthing centers.

Integrated Provincial Health Office Chief Dr. Cristina Giango earlier said a provincial hospital is a tertiary facility that must be able to handle serious cases, like bone fractures.

At present, the Province has 16 Philhealth-accredited district hospitals. But not all cases can be serviced because these are mostly categorized as primary and secondary hospitals.

Balamban’s provincial hospital will be finished in the first quarter of next year, while Danao’s hospital will be finished in the second quarter.

Pelayre said they are still waiting for approval from the Department of Health to construct the Bogo Provincial Hospital.

The Provincial Board passed separate ordinances on the upgrading of three district hospitals.