Sarangani provincial hospital opens outpatient operations

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Sarangani Provincial Hospital is moving a step closer to its planned opening this year with the operationalization of its outpatient department (OPD).

Dr. Arvin Alejandro, Sarangani provincial health officer, said Tuesday the facility has started accommodating residents for outpatient consultations, laboratory tests and other minor medical services.

Alejandro said these include check-ups for some illnesses affecting children, pregnant women, and other adults, such as hypertension, fever and cough.
The OPD unit, which is initially managed by three doctors, also accepts patients needing wound sutures and removal of minor cysts, he said.

Alejandro said the available laboratory services are for complete blood count or CBC, urinalysis, stool exam, Hepatitis B test, thyroid test, blood typing, capillary blood glucose test, capillary blood cholesterol test and capillary blood uric acid test.

He said these services may be availed of at “minimal charges” and those needing medicine may purchase them at the newly-opened hospital pharmacy, which is open daily along with the OPD unit from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We decided to open our OPD unit pending the compliance of some requirements for the hospital’s full operationalization,” he said.

Sarangani Governor Steve Chiogbian Solon earlier said they will start the provincial hospital’s full operations once it receives a license-to-operate from the Department of Health (DOH).

Solon assured that they have completed the hiring of the required personnel and allotted funds for its initial operations as a Level 1 health care facility, with a capacity of 18 to 25 beds.

The DOH and the provincial government have already spent about PHP150 million for the construction of the provincial hospital, which is situated within the capitol compound in Alabel town.

The hospital’s construction began in 2012 through an initial PHP50 million grant from the DOH’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program. Another PHP75 million was later released as augmentation.

The DOH allotted an additional PHP100 million for the construction this year of a two-story imaging, dietary and ward building, new provincial health office, and a waste water treatment facility. (PNA)