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Shutting
down of gov't hospitals unlikely -PHO
The reported closing down of devolved hospitals is unlikely,
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot said.
Cabagnot
issued the statement before the media during the Governor's
Report last week as a reaction to the report of shutting down
of government hospitals.
The
idea or suggestion of shutting them down and merging their
personnel and functions with other (hospitals), if they are
found to be non-performing assets is being mulled by the appropriations
committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan chaired by Vice-Gov.
Julius Caesar Herrera.
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This
developed as the committee found that primary hospitals,
those with ten-bed capacity, showed dwindling occupancy
rate and yet the province spends millions of pesos for
maintenance and personnel services. But secondary ones
fared well in the past months. Occupancy rate is gauged
by the number of days the patients stay at the hospitals
to fully utilize bed capacity, said Dr. Sodusta. It
is different from the number of patients admitted for
medical or surgical and other treatment.
Cabagnot
said that PHO was not discussing on the closure of the
hospitals but there are options, such as partnership
with the local government units concerned where the
hospitals are having catchment areas. He did not elaborate
what this partnership about.
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It
was not also clear whether the idea of redistricting of health
services is part of the plan for partnership. He added that
from nine districts, this could be merged into five health
districts.
Personnel,
including those of medical, could be transferred to other
offices. For instance, the manpower of the Pres. Carlos P.
Garcia (Pitogo) Municipal Hospital (PCPGMH) will be merged
to Garcia Provincial Memorial Hospital (GPMH) in Talibon town,
said a member of the Local Finance Committee.
Primary
hospitals are PCPGMH Pres. Carlos P. Garcia town; Francisco
Dagohoy Memorial, Inabanga; Candijay Community Hospital; Maribojoc
Community Hospital; and Clarin Community Hospital.
Having
25-bed or more capacity, GPMH of Talibon, Cong Simeon Toribio
Memorial, Carmen; Cong. Teodoro Galagar Memorial; Cong. Natalio
Memorial; and Catigbian District Hospital are secondary hospitals.
The
provincial government is practically subsidizing the ten hospitals
every year since they were devolved from the national government
at the advent of Local Government Code.
For
health services combined budget, including PHO, for next year's
operations amounted to a whooping P207,844,433.90, or 23%
of the 2008 total budget of P886,663,537. The allocation includes
personnel services, maintenance and other operating expenses
and capital outlay.
The
biggest chunk in the amount of P50,798,232 is allocated for
PHO and followed by Talibon Provincial Hospital with P33,506,701.00.
Candijay
Community Hospital got the smallest with P5,696,339. Carmen
hospital will have P22,813,609; Jagna hospital, P16,605,670;
Loon hospital, P15,859,961; Catigbian hospital, P12,488,602;
Inabanga, P8,381,283; Pres. Garcia, P6,685,282; Clarin, P6,240,839;
and Maribojoc, P5,954,347.
Aside
from Herrera, committee vice-chairperson Amalia R. Tirol,
committee members Jose E. Veloso and Ester Corazon J. Galbreath
and board members Aster A. Piollo, Cesar Tomas Lopez and Alfonso
Damalerio II and Sangguniang Kabataan president Jane Censoria
Cajes participated the budget hearing deliberations.
Also
in attendance were Atty. Tomas D. Abapo, Jr., chairman, Local
Finance committee; LFC members Atty. Handel Lagunay, Provincial
Accountant Joseth Celocia, Prov'l Budget Officer Valeria Orig,
Prov'l Treasurer Eustaquio Socorin and GO's financial consultant
Primitiva Ontong and hospitals' chiefs and representatives
(RVO)
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