What’s best site for new hospital?

Another issue has erupted between Cebu City Hall and the regional office of the Bureau of Fire Protection over the city government’s move to recover the lot occupied by the fire department on N. Bacalso Avenue so it can be used as a temporary hospital for displaced patients of the Cebu City Medical Center. The fire department said it would disconnect water and electric supply since the bills were being paid by the BFP. Some fixtures, including toilet bowls, were already removed.

I find the fire department’s actions insensitive and totally ungracious. They forget that the land is owned by the city government. The building will only be used temporarily for displaced patients of the damaged CCMC. Besides, the mayor is assigning the BFP another area in the Cebu City sports complex. The mayor is is left with no other option but to file a civil case against the fire department to vacate the area.

I think the BFP which is under the Department of Interior and Local Government should give way to more crucial services needed by the people. They have another area to relocate.

But it is also important for both parties to hold a dialogue in the hope that this issue can be resolved amicably.

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The new group called Care CCMC led by Dr. Shawn Espina is in the drawing board planning things for a new CCMC. Shawn, a surgeon, is the younger brother of two architects – Omar Maxwell, who is former dean of the College of Architecture and Fine Arts of the University of San Carlos and past District Governor of Rotary International 3860, and Joseph Michael or “Yumi,” the present dean of CAFA.

With this connection, Shawn has gotten the cooperation of the university’s CAFA to help design a new 1,000-bed city hospital.

I was informed by Shawn that what they want to be decided now is the proposed site of the hospital so they can immediately start to work on a design proposal. This has attracted the interest of some sectors because many people are suggesting possible locations.

One location that is being considered is the old Ramos public market which is in the middle of the city and near other hospitals.

Another area being seriously considered is lot in the South Road Properties (SRP) but this may not be ideal. I remember a map presented by environment advocates showing that in 20 years time, the coastal area would be submerged because of the effects of Climate Change.

Besides, the SRP has no drainage system, no electricity and no water connections. There are no roads that cut across the huge tract of reclaimed land.

A third option is the present location of CCMC in Natalio Bacalso Avenue but this time an expanded area that includes the fire department across the road and the site of the Citilink terminal.

I don’t know if the total area is big enough for a modern 1,000-bed hospital. The old CCMC building is not recommended for retrofitting because it doesn’t pass the standards set by the current building code. With the city’s present population of 1.5 million, compared to less than 600,000 people 45 years ago when the CCMC was built, the existing building does not meet today’s needs.

Besides, Cebu City residents deserve a world class, state-of-the-art public hospital that can compare with a private hospital.

Cebu City, the queen city of the south, deserves a better medical facility just like Makati City, in order to serve the people better.