Bonbon folk eager to have new hospital

Residents of barangay Bonbon in Cebu City are hoping that the construction of a primary care hospital in the mountain barangay will push through.

Mayor Michael Rama announced in his inaugural speech that a hospital that will cater to the residents in the mountain barangays will be put up in barangay Bonbon within his second term. The proposed project is part of the three-year expansion of Cebu City Medical Center.

Ivy Reyes, one of the residents, said it will make their lives easier if the hospital will be built in their area.

“We spend P1,000 to hire a vehicle to bring a patient to the Cebu City Medical Center,” she said.

Barangay Health Workers also agreed that there is a need for a primary care hospital in their area.

“Our barangay health center only caters to patients with minor illnesses like fever. Those with major illnesses will be referred to the CCMC. We also do not have an ambulance to bring the patients to CCMC but only patrol multicabs,” said barangay health worker Milagrosa Bacalso.

According to Ronaldo Nacional, a barangay tanod, a primary hospital used to exist in Bonbon in the 80s but was destroyed by a typhoon. Besides, the hospital had no regular doctor to attend to the patients, he said.

Jacky Reyes, another resident, said the City Hall officials have already surveyed the four-hectare lot owned by the Dominggo family.

“All I know is that Mrs. Dominggo is willing to donate a portion of the lot for the construction of the hospital. She said she is willing to offer her lot to be used for the welfare of the residents in Bonbon. The Dominggo family is now living abroad,” said Reyes.

Reyes said Mrs. Dominggo will be coming home this year to finalize the donation of the lot if the city proceeds with the hospital construction.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Health Department (CHD) announced that it needs to hire an additional 15 doctors.

Dr. Stella Ygonia, CHD head, said the city only has 25 medical doctors, each of whom is assigned to man three barangay health centers. Because of the wide scope of work, doctors are only able to visit their assigned health centers at least once a week.

With the hiring of additional manpower, each doctor will be assigned to handle two health centers to lessen their workload.

Ygonia said interested applicants can write to the office of the mayor to signify their intent to work.

Because of the need to hire more doctors, Ygonia said they will ask for a bigger budget of at least P400 million for the CHD next year.

CHD now has a budget of P196 million, of which P129 million is allocated for personal services while the remaining P67 million for their maintenance and other operating expenses.

“We need to hire 15 more medical officers. Bisan (even) casuals lang (only),” said Ygonia during a press briefing yesterday morning.

Ygonia made a presentation of their 2012 accomplishments and their city-wide health development plan which CHD will implement in the next three years.

In 2012, the CHD-run health centers administered a total of 4,105 maternal deliveries or 55 percent of the total number of deliveries in the city during the year.

A total of 4,057 dengue cases were also referred to the barangay health centers. Some of these cases were referred to the city’s mother health centers or five health centers in barangays Parian, Punta Princesa, Mabolo, Pardo and Luz that are capable of administering free complete blood count (CBC) screening.

Ygonia said that in order to continue to improve the city’s health care services, CHD is working to upgrade the health centers with the help of the Department of Health and the private sector.

The Cebu Fil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry for one has committed to help upgrade 30 health centers, one of which is in barangay Alaska Mambaling.

Ygonia said the DOH has also committed to help upgrade 15 other health centers.

“We are also encouraging other entities to adopt a health center rather than conducting a medical mission, which is very expensive. They can come to us so we can help them develop an advocacy package for the specific needs of the barangays,” said Ygonia. /Correspondent Carine M. Asutilla and Chief of Reports Doris C. Bongcac