HEALTH CARE NEEDS. The Cebu Provincial Hospital in Danao City, one of the four Cebu Capitol-managed medical facilities recently upgraded by the Department of Health into Level 2, along with the other one in Bogo City, also in the north of Cebu. The upgrading of the two remaining provincial hospitals in Carcar City and Balamban town are still waiting for approval, said Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Tuesday (May 17, 2022). (Photo courtesy of Cebu provincial hospital-Danao City)
CEBU CITY – In a quest to further improve healthcare services in the countryside, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has vowed to seek approval for the upgrade of all provincial hospitals to increase their bed capacity, enhance equipment, and hire more medical professionals.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Garcia said of the four provincial government-managed hospitals endorsed in 2020 to the Department of Health (DOH) for upgrading from Level 1 to Level 2, only two which are in the northern cities of Bogo and Danao have been approved.
Upgrading of the two other capitol-run hospitals in the cities of Carcar and Balamban is still waiting for the approval from DOH, she added.
The existing bed capacity as well as the current workforce that includes doctors, nurses, and support staff will also be increased once DOH approves the upgrading of the classification.
“Equipment will also be upgraded to comply with the requirement based on the increased number of bed capacity… Part of the process is the approval of plans for additional buildings,” she said in Cebuano.
The provincial government also submitted last year to DOH the upgrading of the classification of the district hospitals in Bantayan Island in the north and Camotes Island in the east into Level 1.
Residents in any corridor of the province can expect improved health care services and facilities, she said.
“I’m trying the best that I can as far as humanly as possible to improve our medical services in the province,” she added.
Although upgrading provincial hospitals does not need legislation, the process may take a while as the DOH requires applicants to comply with certain requirements before they can obtain approval.
Apart from the four provincial hospitals geographically situated in the north, south, east, and west corridors, the province also administers 12 district hospitals in different towns and component cities. (PNA)
