Capitol readies P80 million to equip hospitals

Local

PATIENTS in Cebu’s public hospitals may no longer have to endure long waits for medicine and treatment as the Capitol prepares to release P80 million to address pressing supply and staffing shortages.

Provincial Administrator Joseph “Ace” Durano announced that Gov. Pamela “Pam” Baricuatro had already signed a memorandum authorizing the immediate disbursement of P5 million each to the province’s 12 district and four provincial hospitals.

The total P80 million allocation is expected to be released as early as next week and will cover essential medicines and equipment as part of the new administration’s short-term solutions.

He said the Capitol was ready to release additional funds if the initial allocation proved insufficient for the remaining five months of the year.

Durano did not comment on why the previous administration under former governor Gwendolyn Garcia had not released the money, saying the current leadership preferred to focus on moving forward.

The Capitol also laid out medium- and long-term reforms during a meeting with hospital administrators and officials from the Department of Health at the Capitol on Wednesday, July 2.

In the medium term, Durano said the government plans to improve public hospitals by upgrading small Level 1 hospitals into larger Level 2 facilities.

It will also turn infirmaries, which currently offer only basic services, into full Level 1 hospitals that can handle emergencies, general checkups, childbirth, children’s health, minor surgeries, and basic lab tests.

In the long term, the Capitol plans to transform some Level 2 hospitals into apex hospitals, decentralizing access to specialized care currently concentrated at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

Durano said this would reduce the need for patients to travel to the capital, adding, “Ma-spread na gyud siya. Dili na kinahanglan moanhi sa Vicente Sotto.”

He also noted that the Department of Health in Central Visayas advised the province to fill vacant plantilla positions in order to meet Level 1 hospital accreditation requirements, a recommendation the Capitol is now reviewing.

Baricuatro’s daughter and consultant on public health, Elisse Nicole Catalan, said provincial and district hospital chiefs were receptive during their courtesy meeting and raised consistent concerns about the lack of supplies and medical staff.

“We’re really trying our best nga ma-fill dayon ang gap ug ma-feel sad sa taw nga kanang ig sulod nila in a few weeks, naa na juy kausaban ang mga hospitals,’’ Catalan said.

She said the Department of Health (DOH) would submit hospital-specific assessment reports within three weeks, which would guide the Capitol in crafting detailed strategies.

Catalan said she was confident that the public would begin noticing improvements in hospital services within weeks.

DOH-Central Visayas’ Local Health Support Division officer-in-charge Nelner Omus praised the new administration for its openness to recommendations and said the agency was committed to supporting the Capitol with technical assistance and infrastructure support.

“Ang probinsya karon, very open sa suggestions…siguro, with the collaboration with each other, hopefully, we’ll be really giving what is due sa atoang constituents,” she said.(MyTVCebu)