ILOILO City – A vast private property in Barangay Hinactacan, La Paz district is being eyed for the proposed city government-run hospital.
Mayor Jerry Treñas conducted an ocular inspection of the site and liked the location.
It is near coastal barangays of the district of Jaro and La Paz where public transport is scarce, he said, thus residents there would greatly benefit from the hospital when it becomes operational.
“Maayo ang lugar, daw ka tawhay,” said Treñas.
Presently, residents of these costal barangays are having a hard time commuting when they have to go to hospitals.
“Basi ka-acquire kita one and half hectares,” said Treñas.
The city mayor is hopeful the city government hospital would be able to realize the hospital within his term which ends in 2022; he is expected to seek a second three-year term.
“We’ve learned so much from the present threat of the novel coronavirus and the dengue outbreak last year,” said Treñas.
Building a “hospital for the poor” is one of Treñas’ campaign promises during the May 2019 midterm elections.
The sorry state of government hospitals prompted him to make such a proposal, he said.
“Nakita ko ang mga tawo nagadala sang ila hiligdaan. That is why gusto ko kita sa syudad, kon makasarang man lang, we will have our own hospital,” said Treñas.
He had an initial meeting with officials of the Department of Health (DOH) in June last year.
DOH recommended that the city government start with a Level 1 or 50-bed hospital capable of performing surgery, said Treñas.
Building a Level 1 hospital costs some P159 million, according to DOH.
“Possible pangitaan funding didto man sa DOH. Very excited ako. Ang problema lang naton later on will be our personnel compliment,” said Treñas.
But first, the city government has to find a lot where to construct the hospital.
Treñas said he initially mulled to just convert the La Paz Maternity & Reproductive Health Center into a hospital but he was told it could not pass DOH’s standards.
The city government previously put up a building at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao district funded by the late Ilongga senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Healthcare services there were eventually absorbed by the medical center.
As for the proposed city government-run dialysis center, Treñas said DOH was also willing to help.
An area has already been identified – the health center of Barangay East Baluarte, Molo district.
“There will be three dialysis machines which DOH has committed,” said Treñas.
The city government committed to allot P10 million for the other needs of the center.
“Diutay man lang ang requirements sang DOH,” the city mayor added./PN
