DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III has vowed to help facilitate the funds for additional bed capacity of Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City.
Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya confirmed this Sunday, September 15, after he held a meeting with Duque last week in Metro Manila.
Gasataya said President Rodrigo Duterte already signed into law the Republic Act (RA) 1141, increasing the bed capacity of CLMMRH from 400 to 1,000.
He said Duque assured him that he will refer the approved law to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) so that it will be funded next year.
"We also submitted our letter to Duque along with six other congressmen in Negros Occidental to fast-track the CLMMRH budget for 2020, and I also informed him that is the increase of the maintenance and operating expenses (MOE) of the CLMMRH is urgent to support its operations for medicines among others," he added.
Gasataya noted that the new signed law, which he authored, is his commitment to the people to improve the quality of healthcare in Bacolod City.
"The regional hospital, which currently has a bed capacity of 400, accommodates more or less 750 admissions every day. That is almost double its capacity. There is a need to improve the facilities and personnel of the lone tertiary government hospital in the province," Gasataya said.
He said the DOH already signified its commitment to help improve the situation of the CLMMRH.
"Once this new law will be funded, more improvements will be implemented at the CLMMRH such as the additional bed capacity, building, equipment, doctors and nurses to accommodate the 1,000 patients every day," he added.
CLMMRH medical center Chief Dr. Julius Drilon earlier said that on October 14 to 16, 2018, the CLMMRH reported an average of 835 admitted patients per day.
The hospital's bed capacity is only 400 beds.
However, it has been constantly accepting patients from various districts of Negros Occidental including Bacolod City which has the highest number of referrals for obstetrics and gynecology cases.