QUEZON CITY – The hospitals, including the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital, in Bauko, Mountain Province, will be upgraded without undergoing the rigorous legislative mill in congress.
This was learned during the consultation of Mountain Province officials with Dr.Paulyn Jean B. Rossell – Ubial, Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH), last September 27, 2016, at the Batasan Complex.
Data gathered indicated a comparative increase in bed occupancy from 59.05% in 2014, 79.68% in 2015, and 99.69% in the first half of 2016.
Outpatient department reported that there were 23,888 patients in 2014, 34,077 patients in 2016, and 21,746 patients from January to June 2016.
Secretary Ubial, after hearing the common sentiments of congressmen for upgrading of hospitals, initiated the move for the passing of a law that confers automatic authority for the DOH to upgrade hospitals as needed.
The congressmen lauded the secretary for her initiative, although a congressman claimed that the DOH can do it administratively. However, the consensus is for the passage of a law as requested.
Sec. Ubial was invited to visit LHMRH in the future. She said that she plans to visit all regional hospitals before the end of year 2017.
Meanwhile, notwithstanding the request for funds, it was gathered that the DOH has already provided a total of P77, 672,000 under the Department’s HFEP budget for buildings and equipment commensurate for the upgrading of the hospital from level 2 to level 3.
By ROGER SACYATEN
