Governor Arthur Yap on Monday said that he will be allocating a large chunk of the 2020 budget, the first under his administration, for the repair of district hospitals and the acquisition of medical equipment.
Yap, in a short speech during the oathtaking of Philippine Councilors League-Bohol officials at the Capitol, said that he will earmark “close to” P500 million for the rehabilitation of the province-run district hospitals.
“I am submitting close to half a billion worth of repairs sa atong hospital,” he said, adding that the amount could be divided in a two-year allotment. “Tan-awon pa nato.”
Yap admitted the lagging state of the province’s district hospitals, saying that he wants to do away with the current usual scenario wherein patients are almost automatically referred to the state-run Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) in Tagbilaran City.
Bohol has 10 district hospitals but the GCGMH, which has previously drawn flak for being overcrowded, remains to be the only main public healthcare facility in the province.
“Number one, critical ang repair sa mga hospital nato. Grabe ang atong mga hospital. Kanunay man ang atong mga hospital ‘e-refer, e-refer.’ Ana ang famous words sa hospital ‘e-refer,” he said.
The governor will also be pushing for the salary increase of doctors and nurses employed by the province and the purchase of key medical equipment such as x-ray machines, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners and CT scan machines.
“Useless ang hospital ug ang mga equipment if the nurses and doctors are not well paid, they will only be pirated. That will be a major program,” Yap added.
According to Provincial Health Office chief Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot, they conducted a budget hearing on Friday last week and Yap has asked for a list of needed equipment.
Some of the projects to be funded by the allotment will also include the expansion of hospitals. He cited the district hospitals in Catigbian, Inabanga and Candijay as “major candidates” for expansion and the addition of beds.
Cabagnot also hopes that the province can raise salary for nurses to P20,000.
“Tan-awon sa nato og asa ta kutob kay ubos man ta sa DOH rates…mo catch up pud unta ang province,” he said.