Provincial hospital in Carcar unveils three new facilities

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Hospital (CPH)-Carcar has opened three new hospital units aimed at improving emergency and specialized medical services for patients in southern Cebu.

The new facilities are the departmentalized Emergency Room (ER), Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and Mammography Unit, according to Capitol health consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan-Vizcayno.

The improvements aim to strengthen CPH-Carcar’s capacity to provide more organized care closer to patients from as many as 21 municipalities.

Catalan-Vizcayno said the hospital’s new ER, which previously housed the pediatric ward, now has dedicated treatment bays for internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, and general surgery.

The new departmentalized ER will handle patients requiring immediate medical attention.

The arrangement is intended to organize emergency services according to the needs of patients, while allowing the hospital to handle cases through its own provincial workforce.

“The new ER will be fully run by province employees, managed by CPH–Carcar’s own leadership under the supervision of the Provincial Health Office,” Catalan-Vizcayno said.

The provincial government also acknowledged the support of the Department of Health-Central Visayas and the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), which have supported essential services at the hospital through the SUGBUCAS partnership since 2024.

The province has been strengthening CPH-Carcar’s capacity to take on the responsibilities of the new facilities.

Another addition is the PICU, which will provide specialized care and closer monitoring for critically ill children whose conditions require more intensive treatment than what a regular hospital ward can provide.

The PICU will allow medical personnel to closely monitor children’s breathing, heart rate, and other vital signs. It will also provide specialized equipment and care for serious illnesses and enable a prompt response when a child’s condition changes.

Catalan-Vizcayno said the facility is intended to bring critical care for children closer to families in southern Cebu, reducing the need for patients requiring intensive treatment to seek such services farther from home.

The hospital also inaugurated a Mammography Unit to make breast cancer screening more accessible to patients in the area.

A mammogram, an X-ray examination of the breast, can help detect breast cancer early, including cases where a lump cannot yet be felt.

The service will be free for qualified PhilHealth YAKAP beneficiaries, subject to the required clinical assessment and referral, while the previously announced hospital rate for patients paying out of pocket is P2,100, inclusive of the reader’s professional fee and equipment maintenance.

Patients may coordinate directly with CPH-Carcar regarding the schedule, eligibility, and requirements for the mammography service.

Catalan-Vizcayno, however, stressed that the opening of the three units is only part of the provincial government’s efforts to strengthen the hospital, with CPH-Carcar also working toward a Level 2 upgrade.

“Each new unit must be supported by trained personnel, reliable supplies, working equipment, and clear systems of care,” she said.

The province’s goal, she added, is to equip CPH-Carcar to respond more effectively to emergencies and provide better and more organized care for patients throughout southern Cebu.

The hospital is led by Dr. Mary Josephine Arsenal, with the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and partner agencies involved in supporting the improvements. — (FREEMAN)