Opposition hits CCMC's refusal of city outsiders

CEBU, Philippines – The opposition leaders in Cebu City yesterday criticized Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s order to the Cebu City Medical Center to refuse patients if they are not residents of the city.

“It’s very inhuman,” businessman Jonathan Guardo said.

Guardo, who was Osmeña’s sports consultant before he broke their ties and later became one of the opposition leaders, said he is willing to fight Osmeña in a political battle if he will pursue his plan to run as representative of the city’s south district.

Former mayor Alvin Garcia and Lahug barangay captain Mary Ann delos Santos said the mayor should not pursue such a move because it can affect so many people who might not be residents of the city but are also helping to boost our economy.

While Garcia admitted that CCMC was really intended only for city residents, he said the hospital should also attend to patients who need immediate medical treatment, particularly if it involves life-threatening injuries, even if they are not city residents.

The former mayor said they city should also attend to the medical needs of the transient visitors of Cebu City, including students and businessmen, who are helping our economy to boost.

Garcia said one of the best ways to improve the performance of the CCMC is to provide additional budget or to come up with programs that will make the 48-year-old city-owned hospital earn more income.

Records show that although the CCMC is purely public service, it is earning about P35 million every year from the payments of its patients.

Delos Santos said CCMC should serve anybody who wishes to avail of its services just like what she did when her barangay offered free out-patient medical services open to all patients from any of the city’s north district barangays.

Starting yesterday, CCMC stopped accepting patients who are not residents of Cebu City except in emergency cases.

Under the new guidelines, Cebu City residents who feel they need medical attention are required to first go to their respective barangay health centers to have their physical conditions assessed.

“Unsaon man na nga ang mga barangay health centers kuwang man og kahimanan. Kon dunay magpa-CBC (Complete Blood Count) duna diay na sila’y kahimanan?” De Los Santos asked.

But Durinda Macasocol of the City Health Department said there are seven satellite laboratories located in different places in the city that are capable to conduct CBC and hematocrit count.

The satellite laboratories are situated in barangays Talamban, Luz, Mabolo, Parian, Pardo, Guadalupe and Punta Princesa.

“Kadtong duol aning mga lugara, mahimo sila nga moadto kon may dili maayo sila nga pamati sa ilang lawas,” Macasocol said.

Once the personnel of these health centers will find out that they need to be hospitalized, then they will be given referral notes to be presented to the CCMC in order for them to be admitted.

But before any referral notes are issued concerning the necessity to have them admitted at the CCMC based on their health condition, it has also to be proven that they are residents of Cebu City. — Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)