(PNA File Photo)
MANILA – The House Committee on Health approved Thursday a local bill that seeks to establish a level 2 hospital in the province of Dinagat Islands.
"We thank House Health Committee Chairperson Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. and the rest of the Committee for recognizing the urgency and gravity of this bill," said Dinagat Islands District Rep. Alan Ecleo.
Ecleo is the principal author of House Bill 0320, which seeks to establish Ruben E. Ecleo Sr. Hospital, a level 2 hospital the province will have for the first time.
In his sponsorship speech, Ecleo said all current health facilities in Dinagat Islands are on an infirmary level status, requiring Dinagatnons "to endure a long and perilous journey to seek out adequate health care elsewhere."
A level 2 hospital contains all the elements of an infirmary level status with additional facilities like intensive care units for critically ill patients with specialist doctors for gynecology and pediatric services.
With the absence of a level 2 hospital in the province, Dinagatnons have to travel from one and a half to four hours to get necessary health and hospital care.
He said the nearest level-2 hospital to Dinagatnons is in Surigao City.
"[The journey to Surigao City] ranges from 1.5 hours to 4 hours of travel time, depending on how far away one is from the port and depending on the weather situation," Ecleo said.
"Worse, critically ill patients in need of surgery must endure eight more hours of travel from Surigao City to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City," he added.
The Department of Health earlier expressed its support for HB 0320, emphasizing that the hospital would "cater to a wider scope of health care needs of the province."(PNA)
