DOH released P580 M for improvement of hospitals

Leyte Samar Daily Express

GOV’T CENTER, Palo, Leyte — The regional office of the Department of Health in Eastern Visayas extended financial assistance worth over P580 million to various public hospitals in the region last year.

The financial assistance extended was used to improve the physical facilities and procurement of equipment of these hospitals, Doctor Edgardo Gonzaga, health regional director, said.

“The (financial assistance) extended to these hospitals were meant to upgrade their facilities for a better delivery of basic health care to our people,” Gonzaga said.

Based on their records, the DOH released over P589.19 million to various hospitals and even rural health units across the region last year.

Of this amount, P265 million were used for the procurement of hospital equipment while more than P324.10 million were spent to improve the physical structures of these hospitals.

Based on their records, the DOH in the region provided financial assistance to 39 hospitals and rural health units.

Hospitals and rural health stations in Leyte got the biggest financial assistance in the amount of P 207.56 million covering 13 health centers followed by Northern Samar at P116.45 million(four health centers).

Eleven health facilities located in Eastern Samar received P108.3 million while three in Biliran received P83.15 million from the DOH last year, P50.56 million for the four health centers in Samar while P23 million was released to the four hospitals in Southern Leyte.

Gonzaga said that the efforts of their department in extending financial assistance to these hospitals in the region was a clear indication of their desire to help improve the delivery of basic health care to the people of the region.

On top of these, the improvement of these hospitals in terms of facilities and equipment would help in the training of those who are taking medical-related courses like Nursing during their trainings, the health regional director said.

He also urged the local government units to do their share on this undertaking by hiring personnel for these health facilities.

“We expect the local government units to augment the human resource of these hospitals,” Gonzaga added.

Meantime, Doctor Fe Barquin, coordinator of the health facility and enhancement program and development of the DOH-8, said that for the current year, more government hospitals would be provided with financial assistance.

“There are more to come for this year,” she said, referring to prospective beneficiaries of their program.

At present, the region has 49 public hospitals. (JOEY A. GABIETA)