Guv vows to address understaffing

CEBU, Philippines - In line with his push to strengthen district and provincial hospitals in Cebu, Governor Hilario Davide III assured chief nurses of hospitals yesterday that he will attend to their concerns regarding lack of personnel.

Yesterday, chief nurses of all district and provincial hospitals in the province paid a courtesy call to Davide where the governor asked them about their concerns in their respective areas.

In an interview with the media, Davide said that the main concern of the nurses was on the lack of staff.

“Naa’y district hospital sa Badian nga duna’y dentist chair then wala’y dentists. On the other hand, diri sa Carcar, naay dentista pero wala’y dentist chair,” said Davide.

In Toledo City, he was also informed that there is equipment like X-ray machines but there is not enough power to operate it.

Davide earlier stressed in his inaugural speech his thrust for better medical services in the province especially in district and provincial hospitals.

“For it to be a true hospital they have to be adequately manned,” said Davide, adding that he will confer with the Integrated Provincial Health Office to determine how many would need to be hired to have sufficient medical personnel in the said hospitals.

He earlier said that they would need to review the hiring process in these hospitals as part of his strengthening the medical services of the province.

Davide will be inspecting district and provincial hospitals in the next few weeks to see for himself the status of personnel and equipment.

There are four provincial hospitals at present, one each in Balamban and in the cities of Danao, Carcar and Bogo.

Davide said that there is already equipment in these hospitals but there aren’t enough staff members to operate them.  (FREEMAN)