Department of Health seeks modernization of 20 hospitals

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DOH) seeks to modernize at least 20 hospitals at a total cost of about P40 billion in line with the aim of providing universal healthcare.

Speaking at the United Kingdom Healthcare Conference yesterday, Health Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa said the modernization projects will be undertaken to improve the delivery of services in DOH hospitals.

“Our goal is to have all hospitals with the same standard of care,” he said.

The potential modernization projects include: National Center of Mental Health; Philippine Heart Center (Bicol); National Rehabilitation Medicine Center; Quirino Memorial Medical Center; Lung Center of the Philippines - Hemodialysis, IT (Information Technology) and Aerospace Medicine Projects; Cavite Provincial Hospital (General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital); Caloocan City Medical Center; Dr. Fernando B. Duran Sr. Memorial Hospital (Sorsogon); Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital; Leyte Provincial Hospital; South Cotabato Provincial Hospital and Surallah District Hospital (South Cotabato).

Herbosa told reporters the modernization of each hospital is estimated to cost at least P2 billion.

While the DOH has implemented projects with the involvement of the private sector under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program, Herbosa said not all the potential modernization projects will follow the same scheme.

“Not all will be PPP… We’re learning different things (we can do),” he said.

He added that the potential modernization projects will likely be implemented in the next administration, given other projects in the pipeline and the change in DOH leadership.

Health Undersecretary Janette Garin has been named by President Aquino as acting health secretary to replace Enrique Ona, who resigned from his post in December.

DOH projects in the pipeline include the Tri-Medical Complex to integrate the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center and San Lazaro Hospital, as well as modernization of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu; Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Bohol; Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City; Region 1 Medical Center in Dagupan; Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo; Zamboanga City Medical Center; Bicol Regional Teaching and Training Hospital; and the development of medical arts buildings in 15 hospitals.

Health projects that have been awarded are the modernization of the following: Philippine Orthopedic Center; Bicol Medical Center; Cagayan Valley Medical Center and Cotabato Regional Medical Center as well as the construction of vaccine production facility at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and development of three cancer centers.

The UK Healthcare Conference was attended by eight British firms that are part of a trade mission and 50 local players in the health sector.