PGIN reviews hospital’s status THE government-owned provincial hospital named after the late Gov. Roque B. Ablan Sr. is expected to undergo some serious changes the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, under the new leadership of Gov. Michael M. Keon, is currently reviewing its status for a better delivery of health services to local residents. Flooded with complaints and criticisms on the hospital’s poor services, ranging from alleged high cost of medicines, water shortage, lack of personnel services and the patients’ inconvenience due to the apparently “poor” physical structure of the hospital, the new set of Sangguniang Panlalawigan members have aired their concerns and the need to improve the hospital’s services in support of the province’s health development program. Neophyte SP member Albert D. Chua of Batac City observed that the provincial hospital’s emergency room, located at the old building, has no connecting path going to the new building, which causes inconvenience to patients who would like to be transferred to a private room at the new building. According to Chua, he personally observed that a patient would still need to ride an ambulance and pass through the outside street in going to the new building after being treated at the hospital’s emergency room. Chua added that it is only in the provincial hospital that he observed this kind of inconvenience citing the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in his native Batac which has its own elevator to transfer patients from one floor to another. “It’s shameful on our behalf that we are the ones administering the hospital and yet we could not provide quality health services to our constituents,” Chua said as he pledged his expertise as a civil engineer to help in improving the hospital’s physical structure. Meanwhile, provincial engineer Charito Julian explained that the new two-storey building of the hospital is yet to be completed and in its next phase a connecting bridge and elevator are included. Based on the construction plan of the new building, Julian expounded that they would still be constructing the hospital’s third floor where an elevator and a connecting bridge going to the hospital annex will be put up. In view of this, Chua and other members of the provincial board requested Julian to provide the SP members a copy of the hospital’s plan for structure improvement. Another issue was brought out by SP member Yvonne B. Ranada who said the water shortage problem at the said hospital is due to the fact that there are only two water tanks installed at the hospital. The lack of water has affected the emergency room as well as individual private rooms. But according to Julian, the water supply is abundant in the area and the only problem is the water pipes at the hospital are either corroded or clogged. He noted however that in this year’s budget for the engineering department, funds for the replacement of water pipes in the area have been allocated. With regards to the hospital’s lack of personnel, SP member Robert Castro, who is a physician, said that during their recent consultative meeting with hospital doctors serving the locality, he suggested to make the provincial hospital an economic enterprise to solve manpower problem. Making the said hospital an economic enterprise would allow nurses to practice privately during their free time. This suggestion however has yet to be reviewed by concerned authorities on whether it would be considered or not. Leilanie G. Adriano
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