Solon says Cebu City can’t afford to keep hospital

Cebu City Hall doesn’t have the funds or staff to manage the Guba hospital, which is being considered for turnover to the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar of Cebu City’s north district said the turnover of the Guba hospital has long been planned.

“They (Cebu City government) do not have enough funds for that … why not place the hospital under Vicente Sotto?” she told Cebu Daily News.

Guba barangay captain Renerio Limotan said it doesn’t matter to him who would eventually run the hospital so long as it renders services to his 5,200 constituents who live 24 kilometers from the city proper.

He said they use their barangay vehicles to transport patients to the Cebu City Medical Center if they can’t be treated in the Guba hospital.

Since barangay Guba is in the center of the northern mountain area, its hospital also services 15 barangays. Del Mar said she allocated P14 million for the Guba hospital this year.

Of the amount, P8 million was intended for hospital renovation while P6 million was used to purchase equipment.

“It’s better for Guba to get funding not just from the local government but also the national government. That will make more resources available for the hospital,” Del Mar told CDN.

Guba hospital gets a share from the P200-million budget given to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

CCMC Director Gloria Duterte said the Guba hospital is manned by three doctors who work on a 48-hour shift.

Operated as a primary hospital, the Guba hospital only accepts out patients and cases of normal child delivery.

Mayor Michael Rama said he wanted the city government to continue to operate it.

He also questioned provisions of a draft agreement that requires the city to spend for the hospital’s maintenance and other operating expenses even after the proposed turnover to VSMMC.   With Correspondent Edison A. delos Angeles