Bohol goes for hospital modernization

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

BOHOL – The Province of Bohol embarked on the modernization of its provincial hospitals adding three new centers for dialysis and one more for RT-PCR testing despite cost challenges due to the pandemic.

Bohol governor Arthur Yap checked the readiness of the dialysis center which will operate soon inside the Pres. Carlos P. Garcia Memorial Hospital (PCPGMH) in Talibon town.  The hospital has already received new equipment for the ICU, chemo dialysis, analog X-ray and ambulance unit.

Two other dialysis centers are established at the Cong. Teodoro Galagar Memorial Hospital (CTGMH) in Jagna and Cong. Simeon Toribio Memoral Hospital (CSTMH) in Carmen.

 The Talibon, Jagna and Carmen hospitals are run by the provincial government including those in Maribojoc, Loon, Clarin, Inabanga, island-town of Pres. Garica, Candijay and Catigbian.

Yap announced the dialysis centers for Jagna and Carmen hospitals during his weekly Capitol "Tingog sa Mga Bol-anon" Program carried live on all local radio stations on Fridays.

The dialysis centers and Talibon COVID-19 laboratory, the first outside Tagbilaran City signaled the upgrading of the 10 hospitals of the province under the Yap and Relampagos administration.

When Relampagos was governor he introduced major improvements to the Talibon hospital, but the program was cut due to his failed reelection for third term.  Then Gov. Edgar Chatto, now 1st District congressman assumed and rescued the condition of the entire provincial government hospital system.

His serious hospital upgrading program was disrupted, though, by Bohol's most devastating earthquake in 2013.  He restarted the program and generated mational support in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) to buil the new Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) which is now ongoing construction.

 Yap sealed the donation of the provincial government lot for the billions-worth medical center and continue the mission to modernize the province’s hospitals. He said the Talibon, Jagna and Carmen dialysis centers are essential to the Boholanos in the two other sides and central part of the island-province with over 1.3 million inhabitants.

Yap felt the burden of extra expenses and inconvenience of distance of the otherwise poor, pale patients who must travel far for dialysis services in Tagbilaran City. The dialysis center in Talibon has 10 beds and can accommodate 24 patients daily.

Accompanied by hospital chief Dr. Miguelito Jayoma, Yap also inspected the on-going construction of the building for the RT-PCR laboratory.  The new COVID testing center is the third in Bohol after the Gallares hospital molecular laboratory and the province's existing containerized laboratory, both based in Tagbilaran City.

Yap's direction is to make the province's hospitals with enhanced individual facilities, equipment, manpower and services that would contribute to Bohol's overall quality healthcare system. (Photos: Bohol/Google photo files)