Defensor seeks upgrading of Capitol-owned hospitals
Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. has vowed to rehabilitate and upgrade the 12 hospitals under the provincial government.
Defensor said he does not want the provincial government hospitals to be used only as transit points for patients to be brought to Iloilo City.
“If needed, we will have a loan just to upgrade our hospitals,” he said.
Defensor said he has learned that several of the province’s hospitals do not have ambulances and lack basic medical facilities and equipment.
Provincial Health Officer Patricia Grace Trabado reported to Defensor that based on last year’s data, the occupancy rate for provincial hospitals is pegged at 106 percent which means it exceeded the 510 total bed capacity of the 12 provincial hospitals.
Defensor said a budget of P67 million has been appropriated for the provincial government hospitals in the 2010 budget expected to be passed this month.
He said an additional budget for the hospitals will be included in next year’s budget.
INDIGENTS
Defensor has also ordered all hospital chiefs to spare the indigents from any hospital charges.
He said as much as possible all indigents should not be charged any hospital fee as they don’t even have money to buy medicines.
The Iloilo Provincial government supervises a provincial hospital, six district hospitals, and four municipal hospitals.
The Iloilo Provincial Hospital at Brgy. Rumbang, Pototan, Iloilo has around 100 hospital beds.
Meanwhile, the six district hospitals – Aleosan District Hospital in Alimodian, Ramon Tabiana Memorial District Hospital in Cabatuan, Dumangas District Hosppital in Dumangas, Rep. Pedro G. Trono, Memorial Hospital in Guimbal, Dr. Ricardo Y. Ladrido Memorial District Hospital in Lambunao, and Sara District Hospital in Sara – each have 50 beds for their patients.
Municipal hospitals like Jesus M. Colmenares Hospital in Balasan, Federico Ramon Tirador Hospital in Janiuay, Dr. Ricardo S. Provido Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Calinog, and Don Valerio Palmares in Passi City have 25 beds each.
The Barotac Viejo District Hospital has only 10 beds.
