Cebu City Council giving priority to health centers

CEBU, Philippines -  The Cebu City council stressed on the need to prioritize building and rehabilitating health centers in the city especially with the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) not operating on its full capacity after its building was declared unsafe to use following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake two months ago.

Cebu City Council Majority Floor Leader Margarita Osmeña raised the concern yesterday as the Cebu City Health office presented before the council their proposed projects which include the rehabilitation of four barangay health centers.

Dr. Alma Corpin, Cebu City health office's chief of the field programs division said they are proposing the budget of P2 million for the rehabilitation of the barangay health centers in barangays Apas, Cogon Pardo, Bario Luz and Quiot by next year.

Each health center of the four barangays would be allocated P500,000 each for the rehabilitation and the said amount is reportedly part of the proposed appropriation for the 2014 Annual Budget of the Department of Engineering and Public Works.

But Osmeña emphasized that all the health centers in the city should be rehabilitated.

"Why only four and why not all? Our health centers provide services to many," said Osmeña, pointing out the need to do so considering that the normal operations of the CCMC has been hampered.

Osmeña said the health centers have big roles in providing quality medical services to the constituents of Cebu City.

With this, the Cebu City Council yesterday concluded that the P2 million budget for the rehabilitation of the health centers would not be enough.

The council therefore decided to alter an initial proposal included in the 2014 budget which is to allocate P20 million for the construction of birthing centers and instead utilize the amount for the rehabilitation and construction of health centers.

Corpin said there are a total of 40 health and birthing centers in Cebu, some of which were already accredited by the Department of Health including the Guadalupe health Center.

Further, Corpin said they are planning to have 24-hour birthing centers in south and north districts. At present, only the Talamban health center is operating for 24 hours.

Also, a one-storey hospital is also being proposed in Brgy. Bonbon which would cost around P30 million for the lot purchase and construction of the facility. (FREEMAN)