DOH closes health unit used as town hospital

Health authorities have closed a rural health unit (RHU) which the municipal government was operating as a hospital without the proper licenses since 2007.

Through the Center for Health Development in the Ilocos region, the Department of Health (DOH) issued a cease-and-desist order to Mayor Ricardo Revita last month, asking the eastern Pangasinan town to stop running the RHU as a hospital in violation of Republic Act No. 4226 (Hospital Licensure Act).

RHUs are established for preventive health services and not for curative and other high-level medical services such as surgery, said Vice Mayor Dominador Pajela Jr., a doctor. He said the town should establish a community hospital to meet the needs of residents.

In a letter to the DOH, Revita said the conversion of the RHU into a hospital was “in response to the increasing medical needs of our [residents] and [to] heed … the call of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pangasinan to duplicate the RHU of San Quintin [town] which was then operating [24 hours a day and seven days a week].”

He said he was duty bound to serve his constituents. “Thus, in the event that patients [who have no money] avail of our medical services, I cannot simply turn my back on them.”

But with the DOH order to close the RHU, Revita said the municipality had learned its lesson and would be guided accordingly.

Pajela said the municipal council would seek the help of Pangasinan Rep. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas and the party-list group Abono for funds to build a hospital. Yolanda Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon