Department of Health’s Officer-In-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire during the regular press briefing on March 28, 2023 at the Department of Health Central Office. NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said it is open to a Senate inquiry on the alleged lapses in the facilities, operations, and quality care at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH).
“We are open to the investigation, and we are trying to improve the situation and, of course, the convenience of our patients there,” said DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire during a press forum.
Vergeire reacted after Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Monday lodged a resolution seeking to look into the condition of NCMH facilities in Mandaluyong City.
According to Vergeire, several improvements have been made to the NCMH throughout the years, assuring the public that the DOH remains committed to boosting the center’s capabilities.
“Kapag tinignan ang National Center for Mental Health, comparing it to before, malaki na po ang naging improvement ng NCMH, dahil tayo naman unti unti through the years nakapag-invest na tayo sa ospital na ito,” said Vergeire.
(When you look at the National Center for Mental Health, comparing it to before, there has been a big improvement in NCMH, because, little by little through the years, we have been able to invest in this hospital.)
“Iyon nga lang po, syempre pag tinignan sa kabuuan, meron po tayong iba’t ibang challenges, within the system of NCMH,” she added.
(But of course, looking at it as a whole, we have different challenges within the system of NCMH.)
Vergeire specifically noted the NCMH’s pavilion for patients with criminal charges, which she said might have been the specific portion Tulfo was referring to, as it currently houses over 600 patients, despite being built to only house around 300.
She explained that the pavilion became congested after some patients, who had already been determined ready to face their charges, had yet to be picked up by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
“Ngayon po nakikipag ugnayan na ang DOH sa DOJ (Department of Justice) para tulungan tayo to decongest this pavilion,” said Vergeire.
Vergeire pointed out that the DOH is now expanding the said pavilion, with a new building for the first phase of improvements set to be finished by April.
A second phase for improvement is set for the pavilion, said Vergeire, which would then be funded from the 2024 DOH National Budget.
However, Vergeire noted that the pavilion is only a single part of the NCMH.
“Not to say that only ‘yung pavilion lang ‘yon ang may problema sa NCMH, sa tingin ko lang po dito nanggaling ‘yung report ng ating good senator, but of course we are trying to improve all of our services and our facilities at the NCMH,” said Vergeire.
(Not to say that only that pavilion is the problem at NCMH, I believe this is where the report of our good senator came from, but of course, we are trying to improve all of our services and facilities at the NCMH.)
