SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan -- The Pangasinan Provincial Hospital (PPH) here and the Western Pangasinan District Hospital (WPDH) in Alaminos City, provincial government-run health care facilities, are set for further infrastructure upgrading.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Anna Maria Teresa De Guzman, in an interview Wednesday, said the provincial government, through the Provincial Health Office (PHO), has again secured the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health (DOH) to upgrade the service capabilities of the provincial government-run hospitals.
“The upgrading of hospital facilities forms part of DOH’s HFEP, a program which aims to improve health facilities in order to sufficiently provide emergency and primary health care services to the people,” de Guzman said.
Among those lined-up for upgrade are the PPH’s medical ward, intensive care unit, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit while rehabilitation works for pediatric/medical ward, emergency room/pharmacy, and laboratory building will be undertaken at WPDH.
Fourth District Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario, during the regular session of Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) on Monday, said the DOH has allotted PHP10.89 million for the improvement of PPH facilities to be implemented by the provincial government after the transfer of funds from the DOH.
Another PHP3.46 million has been earmarked for WPDH upgrade to be undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Pangasinan 1st Engineering Office.
She added the province annually secures the DOH-funded infrastructure upgrading for its 14 hospitals.
“Almost all community and district hospitals of the province are classified by the DOH as Level I, except the PPH which is classified as Level II. For our hospitals to be categorized Level II, we have to upgrade our facilities as prescribed by the DOH,” de Guzman said.
Meanwhile, the SP members have already passed a resolution on Monday, authorizing Governor Amado Espino III to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Health (DOH) Region 1 for the rehabilitation and expansion works in the PPH and WPDH, which were authored by Rosario as the committee chairperson on health. (PNA)
