BENGUET officials are seeking the transfer of the management and operation of the Benguet General Hospital to the Department of Health.
This was made through a resolution now on its second reading authored by Board Members Johnny Waguis, Ruben Paoad, Jim Botiwey, and Fernando Balaodan.
The resolution said with BeGH management under DOH, the annul P40 million subsidy from the province can now be distributed to the six district hospitals in Benguet which is in dire need of facilities, equipment and personnel.
"The transfer of the management in the operation of BeGH to the DOH is not actually a plan by the provincial officials but it is a suggestion made by Asec. Roger Tong-an when he came to Benguet as our guest speaker, he incinirated that it will be beneficial to the province of Benguet. According to him the DOH has necessary funds and support to operationalized the BeGH," said Board Member Jim Botiwey, who chairs the committee on health and social services.
During a consultation last month, several stakeholders, including hospital employees raised their doubts on the proposed transfer of management but Botiwey assured there will be another round of public consultation before the province decides.
"We do not like to rush. I would really consider BeGH as a jewel of the province of Benguet if only we were able to operationalize. It is sad that until now, the personnel of BeGH particularly the nurses even doctors are still lacking. Now we cannot just hire and hire because the BeGH cannot pay their salaries," Botiwey said.
In June 2004, the management of the BeGH was transferred to the provincial government and operated as an economic enterprise under Provincial Ordinance No. 04-99 entitled "Declaring the New Benguet General Hospital as an economic enterprise of the Province of Benguet pursuan to the Pertinent Provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended and the Health Sector Reform Agenda of the National Government."
The ordinance stipulates that an annual subsidy of not less than P40M be allocated by the Provincial Government and may ceased when the hospital becomes financially viable.
Botiwey added the hospital has been an economic enterprise with the operations of BeGH dependent on their income and the province’s subsidy.