Martinez asks Davide’s help on health services

CEBU, Philippines - Bogo city Mayor Celestino “Junie”Martinez Jr. sought the help of Governor Hilario Davide III on the looming problem of personnel and ambulance of their district hospital in Bogo.

Last Thursday, Martinez visited Davide in his office and raised the concern of the Severo Verallo Memorial District Hospital which not only attends to the medical needs of Bogo city but as well as other northern areas.

In an interview with the media, Martinez said that for the past three days, their ambulance has not been functioning. In a day, the ambulance travels to the city at least three times.

Bogo city is more or less 100 kilometers away from Cebu city.

“Ang ambulance sa San Remigio ug Bantayan nangaguba and we have a hard time transferring the patients from the north to Cebu.”

Martinez said they are seeking an immediate response from the Provincial Government. He said that Davide informed him that meetings are ongoing on the matter considering that improving health services in the province is one of Davide’s top priorities.

Davide earlier said that he will see to it that health services in provincial and district hospitals in the province would be upgraded especially on the service the personnel, considering that there are already hospitals that have ample equipment but do not have enough medical staff to operate on them.

In the Severo Verallo Memorial District Hospital, Martinez had recommendations on the regularization of its personnel since most are outsourced employees except for the chief doctor and chief nurse.

Martinez said he asked for Davide to look into the possibility of making more employees  regular, a matter which Davide agreed to, he said.

Davide also said earlier that he will look into the hiring process of the district and provincial hospitals.   Tuburan Mayor Aljun Diamante also went to the office Davide the other week to seek help on “personnel concerns” in the Tuburan District Hospital.

Diamante reportedly went to Davide and reported on “attitude problems’ of some personnel of the district hospital in Tuburan.

This was after a 3-year-old child died in the hospital after some of the hospital’s personnel allegedly did not attend to the child.

Diamante said, though, that the doctor who attended to the child was not negligent, which was supported by the investigation of the Integrated Provincial Health office who said that the doctor did all he can.

But Diamante said that there are some personnel who reportedly do not attend to the patients.  (FREEMAN)