Garcia, Davide back improvement of provincial, district hospitals to decongest VSMMC

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The incoming top officials of the Capitol has agreed on one policy ahead of their official assumption of office this June 30.

Both agreed to maximize the utilization of province-run hospitals to help decongest the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

Governor-elect Gwendolyn Garcia said that the provincial and district hospitals need to be maximized so it can cater more patients who do not need level three treatment procedures.

VSMMC, which is run by the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7), is the only level three hospital in Cebu. Patients coming from the province and other parts of the region usually come to VSMMC as they could no longer be accommodated in the hospitals in their respective towns or districts.

“In this regard, I would like to point out that the province does have free provincial hospitals which are being underutilized right now. It doesn’t have the necessary equipment, the needed health personnel,” Garcia said.

“I intend to work very closely with the provincial board and the VSMMC so that we may put up stations where patients that do not need level three treatment may be accommodated in our provincial hospitals and the district hospitals,” she added.

Outgoing Governor and Vice Governor-elect Hilario Davide III, who is eyeing to head the Committee on Health, said it will be part of his policies to continue the efforts to improve the provincial hospitals to decongest the VSMMC.

In an interview on Monday, May 27, 2019, Davide said it has been part of his administration’s policy since the start of his term as governor in 2013 to leverage the capacity of the province-run health facilities.

“Mao man gyud na atong programa that is why we are improving the provincial hospitals para ma-reduce ang referals to Sotto (VSMMC). Kana nga programa, since we assumed office, mao gyud na atong gitutokan and we have attained some level of success niana,” said Davide.

The Provincial Board (PB) approved a P1.48 billion budget for the Provincial Health Office for 2019, the biggest chunk of the province’s P4.6-billion budget.

Cebu province, through the Provincial Health Office, is running four provincial hospitals in Carcar City, Balamban, Danao City and Bogo City and 16 district hospitals throughout the province. /bmjo