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Monday, July 24, 2006
Congressmen welcome planned takeover of VSMMC
By Linette C. Ramos
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
An opposition congressman welcomed the plan for the Provincial Government to take over most of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center’s (VSMMC) operations, saying it will allow the Department of Health (DOH) to focus on specialized services.
Rep. Antonio Yapha, House committee on health chairman, said the Pro-vince’s intervention will abort possible problems with patients whom the hospital would otherwise have to decline serving.
In a phone interview yesterday, Yapha said the DOH is bent on having VSMMC cater only to tertiary cases, such as surgery or transplantation of vital organs.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia has agreed to the DOH’s request so the department can focus on tertiary services, although a memorandum on this has yet to be signed.
Primary or secondary cases, such as delivery, diarrhea or stab wounds would have to be referred to the city, district or provincial hospitals, Yapha said.
“I welcome this plan of the Province because it will greatly improve the hospital’s capability of responding to tertiary level cases. The bulk of VSMMC’s budget goes to the primary and secondary cases, which are not supposed to be their main concern. Now they can focus on the tertiary cases,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
“The Province really has to do this because if it won’t, where will the hospital put the primary and secondary cases next year, na dili na man gyud musugot ang DOH muda-wat pa nila (DOH will no longer accept these cases),” he added.
In a separate interview, Deputy House Speaker Raul del Mar (Cebu City, north) assured his constituents of continuous medical assistance even if the Capitol takes over.
Like Yapha, del Mar said he will not object “as long as services continue to be given not only to Cebuanos but also to patients from other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.”
“I don’t think it matters who would manage the hospital. What is important is that services continue, or better yet, are improved. But if the change in management means they will be selective as to who the clients will be, then I would say that is not advisable,” del Mar said.
Yapha said the development would help the DOH in its finances since it will be able to trim the number of clients.
The change will also help VSMMC cope with a limited budget. The hospital’s budget this year is still P200 million despite the approval of a P200-million increase.
The governor, for her part, has said the Capitol intends to run some areas of the hospital as an economic enterprise, “without passing on the cost to the poor.” (LCR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 24, 2006 issue)
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