CCMC wants P400 million budget for 2012

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) are proposing some P400-million budget for the hospital’s operations next year to make its services to the indigent families more efficient, said City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete.

But the proposal would still be subject for further deliberation.

Poblete said Mayor Michael Rama is much supportive of providing the 49-year-old medical facility with enough money to purchase more drugs and medicines.

Rama is required by the law to endorse his executive budget to the City Council not later than October 16 so the city legislators can discuss the proposed budget.

According to Poblete, the hospital officials headed by Acting Hospital Chief Gloria Duterte is proposing for a bigger budget so that they could purchase the needed medical equipment so patients no longer have to go to private hospitals for laboratory needs.

For the past several years, the annual budgets of the CCMC did not include the necessary allocation for capital outlay to purchase medical equipment or improve its building.

For this year’s budget, City Hall allocated P211 million, but only P20 million is allotted for the purchase of drugs and medicines. This was the reason doctors would sometimes just issue prescriptions to the patients.

CCMC only has 484 employees although the DOH requires it to have at least 600 personnel.

Before then CCMC chief Eduardo Sedoripa left his post to work in Canada, he proposed that the budget allocation for drugs and medicines be increased to P137 million. (FREEMAN)