THE establishment of the Davao City Public Hospital is now a step closer after the 19th Davao City Council passed on third and final reading an ordinance mandating the construction of a city-owned hospital.
The ordinance, titled the "Davao City Hospital Ordinance," was passed on Tuesday, May 4, 2021.
Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, ordinance proponent, said the construction of the city-owned hospital will cater to the needs of the fast-growing population and to decongest the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) as the sole government-owned and operated tertiary care facility in the city.
"The creation of the hospital also serves as the city's response to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as future outbreaks and will provide the city with the needed manpower, facility, and experience to counter such threats in the future," Villafuerte said on the ordinance.
The city-owned hospital will have a 100-bed capacity and will be located at the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP-Min) Campus in Bago Oshiro.
The city hospital, which will be a Level III Training and Covid-19 response hospital, will provide services for all kinds of illnesses, diseases, injuries, and deformities.
Among the other services the hospital will cater includes clinical services for in-patients such as consulting specialists in medicine, pediatrics, OB-Gyne, surgery, emergency and outpatient services with respiratory unit, physical medicine and rehabilitation unit; isolation facilities and general intensive care unit, surgical/maternity facilities, high risk pregnancy unit, and ambulatory surgical clinic, dental clinic, neonatal intensive care unit, and dialysis clinic.
As to ancillary services, these include tertiary clinical laboratory with histopathology, blood bank, third level x-ray, and pharmacy.
"The hospital shall be equipped with top-of-the-line service capabilities needed to support board certified/eligible medical specialists and other licensed physicians," the ordinance states.
The city hospital will also serve as a medical training hospital of the UP-Min.
The ordinance also states that the city will set aside funds for its construction. Additional funding will be sourced from the funds allocated for the city under Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act of 2020, and the Health Facility Enhancement Program of the National Government.
The city will also be the one providing funding for medical and non-medical personnel who will run the hospital.
Villafuerte said in a radio interview on April 15 that the hospital will be established on a 3.28-hectare property.
The councilor said the local government is targeting to break ground this year and requires a budget of around P300 million.