Guba Hospital renovation completed

CEBU, Philippines - As Rama rejects del Mar’s proposal for joint management Cebu City North District Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar is still pushing for the joint management and operation of the Guba Community Hospital in Barangay Guba, Cebu City with the Cebu City Medical Center and the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center. 

The proposal was already taken up by the Cebu City Council but Mayor Michael Rama is against the move, saying that he would want it managed by CCMC.

In yesterday’s turnover of P14 million worth of renovation and equipment of the hospital, Del Mar hit Rama for not understanding fully well the joint management and operation of the hospital. 

“Partnership in this time of economic crisis is essential. VSMMC’s part shall be in the holistic management of the hospital while the CCMC is for the operation, maintenance and personal services,” del Mar told the personnel and staff during the turnover ceremony yesterday afternoon.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Joy Young, City Councilors Sisinio Andales, Alvin Arcilla, Alvin Dizon, Noel Wenceslao, DOH regional director Asuncion Anden, VSMMC chief Gerardo Aquino and neighboring barangay captains attended the ceremony. 

VSMMC already expressed willingness to manage and operate Guba Community Hospital.

In the present set-up, Guba Community Hospital is under the management of CCMC as a satellite hospital of the City-owned facility.

Under the joint partnership, CCMC will still have to appropriate funds annually to cover the maintenance and other operating expenses, and personal services of Guba Community Hospital.

Del Mar will also have to allocate funds from her Priority Development Assistance Fund for the maintenance and other operation expenses of the facility.

The VSMMC will also have to choose a chief of hospital who shall be responsible for the administration and operations of the community hospital. The VSMMC will also have to absorb the existing personnel of Guba Community Hospital and uphold their security of tenure.

In 2010, Guba Community Hospital stopped accepting patients for admission after losing its license to admit patients, owing largely to its dilapidated facilities.

Its estimated P15-million renovation works and facilities upgrade started January this year. Of the amount, P8 million was set aside for renovation while the P6 million was earmarked for the purchase of brand new equipment and hospital beds.

Now the hospital offers basic laboratory procedures such as complete blood count, urinalysis, blood typing, blood sugar count, and electrocardiogram, as well as radiology and X-ray services. 

The newly renovated 10-bed capacity hospital has a male and female ward, an operating room, a labor room, out-patient department, an isolation room, a nurse station and pharmacy. – (FREEMAN)