P10M lobbied for Mandaue hospital

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City Hospital may be able to provide better services to its patients once the Department of Health releases the P10 million intended for the purchase of new medical equipment.

Hospital Chief Maria Lourdes Espinoza said the state-run hospital needs the equipment “urgently” to better serve the residents of the city and those from neighboring localities who go there for treatment.

In a statement, Cebu sixth district Representative Gabriel “Luigi” Quisumbing said his office has been facilitating the release of such amount from the DOH’s coffers.

“We are closely coordinating with the Department of Health for the purchase of a fully-automated blood chemistry analyzer, audiometer, plasma sterilizer, BP apparatus, cardiac or patient monitors, pediatric cribs, mechanical beds, and delivery tables, among other facilities for the hospital," said Quisumbing.

Presently, the city hospital does not have the blood chemistry analyzer, audiometer and autoclave or plasma sterilizer, equipment Quisumbing believes should present in a hospital.

He said these apparatuses are needed in conducting laboratory works for accurate diagnosis.

Besides the absence of those three equipment, Quisumbing said many of the hospital’s facilities, like the patient beds and pediatric cribs are “so old and rusty” that they need to be replaced.

The hospital even lacks apparatuses for checking blood pressure, he said.

“Considering that the demand for affordable and accessible healthcare is on the rise, there is a need to upgrade the hospital's facilities for effective delivery of medical services to the increasing and dynamic population in our district,” the legislator said.

He then thanked the DOH for its commitment to the city hospital and its support to provide better health services for constituents.

Last year, the Mandaue City Hospital ran deficit by P7.8 million, but City Treasurer Lawyer Regal Oliva said this was “expected,” knowing that it caters to the indigents.

Oliva said every year, Mandaue is subsidizing P15 million to the hospital that it can use for its day-to-day operations except to pay the wages of its personnel and the maintenance of the facility.

The hospital’s average spending is at P27 million, bloated by medicine expenses.  (FREEMAN)