THE Iloilo Provincial Government proposed a P43-million fund for the conversion of the San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital into a district hospital with a 25-bed capacity.
The fund was included in the proposed annual budget of the province for 2019.
Raul Banias, Hospital Management Office (HMO) head and provincial administrator, said it was in response to the request of San Joaquin Mayor Ninfa Garin for the province to absorb the facility.
The proposed 2019 budget was already submitted to the Provincial Board and will hurdle the approval of the Committee on Appropriations.
“By 2019, once the budget gets approved by the SP (Provincial Board), we can already operate the SJMCH as one of the district hospitals of the Province of Iloilo,” Banias said.
It will become the 13th district hospital to be operated by the province.
SJMCH is presently operated as a satellite hospital of the Department of Health (DOH) through the Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC).
The local government of San Joaquin is supporting its maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE). But the town is having financial difficulty in sustaining the MOOE.
For the last three years, the provincial government has also been providing subsidy to the facility. Last year, a P2-million subsidy was given and P6 million for 2018.
But the latest subsidy was not released because the hospital has not liquidated the previous P2 million.
At present, the province operates 11 district hospitals and one provincial hospital.
These are the Iloilo Provincial Hospital (Pototan); Aleosan District Hospital (Alimodian); Barotac Viejo District Hospital (Barotac Viejo; Dr. Ricardo S. Provido Memorial District Hospital (Calinog);
Federico Roman Tirador Sr. Memorial District Hospital (Janiuay); Jesus M. Colmenares Memorial District Hospital (Balasan); Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial District Hospital (Guimbal); Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital (Cabatuan); Sara District Hospital (Sara); Ramon D. Duremdes District Hospit (al (Dumangas); Dr. Ricardo Y. Ladrido Memorial District Hospital (Lambunao); and Don Valerio Palmares Sr. Memorial District Hospital (Passi City).
Banias clarified that they are providing equal assistance to all 12 government hospitals.
“We have just completed the business plans for all our hospitals as Local Economic Enterprises and it will take a few years more for our hospitals to be financially viable and no longer dependent on subsidy for its operation,” he said.
He added that the first district got its fair share in the annual budget vis-à-vis the other districts. (PR)