SENATOR JV Ejercito assured his support for the much needed hospital expansion and improvement of the facilities of all provincial hospitals in the region.
In his visit to Bontoc during the 14th Lang-ay festival, Ejercito, who chairs the committee on health reiterated his commitment to facilitate the improvement of provincial hospitals in the Cordillera.
"Just like in Kalinga, I have committed to Governor Jocel Baac my support to fast track the construction of their hospital building," Ejercito said.
The senator had initially helped the hospital in Sagada and the provision for additional hospital beds for Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.
"Here in Mountain Province, if there are plans for them to expand their existing hospital then we will help. The common denominator here is hospitals now are overcrowded because of the growing population. There really is a need to expand the hospitals and improve their facilities here in Mountain Province," the legislator stated.
Ejercito noted the need of around P282 billion for the expansion of provincial hospitals in the country.
"As your representative in the Senate, I will see to it that we will assist in the expansion of provincial hospitals. Although we could not do this simultaneously because of the current hospital to population nationwide ratio of 1 is to 1,100 as to the ideal 1 is to 500. By 2022, my target is to bring this down to 1 is to 800 which is realizable and attainable," he explained.
Once the P282 billion would have been realized, Ejercito views the allotment of P60 billion a year for the expansion of hospitals in the country.
In Baguio City, the BGHMC receives 280 to 300 patients a day for the emergency room, 1000 patients a day for the Out Patient Department aside from other patients needing specific health support.
Based on BGHMC's records, 69.7 percent of the patients of the hospital comes from Pangasinan followed by patients coming from region 1, region 3 and Baguio City and Benguet Province.