TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The provincial government supports the proposed re-nationalization of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital and the establishment of the Northern Cordillera Regional Hospital to contribute in the ongoing efforts to further improve the delivery of quality health care services to the people.
Gov. James Edduba said that 33 percent of the annual budget of the provincial government which is roughly more than P250 million is earmarked for the administration, management and operation of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital that is why a huge portion of the province’s resources is devoted for the effective and efficient delivery of health care services.
He pointed out that the proposed re-nationalization of the provincial hospital or the establishment of a regional hospital will definitely ease the heavy burden being shouldered by the provincial government in terms of providing funds for the said hospital as the same will now be lodged with the health department.
The re-elected governor pointed out that the funds that will be saved by the provincial government once the Kalinga Provincial Hospital will be re-nationalized will be earmarked to implement more development projects in the rural areas that will contribute in spurring the economic activities and sources of livelihood of the people.
“The effective and efficient delivery of quality health care services will guarantee that our people will remain healthy and productive to be able to sustain the gains of Kalinga which had been achieved through the implementation of our development initiatives. We want to make our people that we care for them by making quality health care services readily available in their midst,” Gov. Edduba stressed.
He added that part of the funds that will be spared from the realization of the re-nationalization of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital will also be used for the improvement of the six district hospitals that are strategically situated in the different parts of Kalinga so that people will be able to easily access quality health care services for them to remain productive citizens of their communities.
Earlier, three-term Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang filed a bill that seeks to establish the Northern Cordillera Regional Hospital in the province but the same has been pending in Congress over the past several years.
Edduba claimed that the said proposal will definitely contribute in enhancing the delivery of quality health care services to the people of Kalinga because of the projected improvement in the health facilities that will be readily available for the people to choose on which facility to avail of quality health care services.
He assured the people of Kalinga that the provincial government will continue to work with concerned government agencies for the gradual realization of the proposed re-nationalization of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital to contribute in the efforts to improve the delivery of health care services and achieve quality health care in the future.
At present, the provincial government administers the operation of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital and the six district hospitals that are situated in the different parts of the province. By Dexter A. See
