Frasco seeks to upgrade provincial hospital in Danao

CEBU, Philippines —  Citing the need for higher quality care in Cebu’s fifth district, Representative Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco has sought to upgrade the provincial hospital in Danao City into a medical center.

Frasco introduced House Bill No. 8275 which aims to establish the hospital to be known as the North Cebu Medical Center (NCMC) that will be under the supervision and control of the Department of Health (DOH).

He is looking at increasing the hospital’s bed capacity from 50 beds to 100 beds, upgrading its professional health care services and facilities, and authorizing its medical personnel as he seeks to upgrade the hospital from level I to level II general hospital.

Currently, the district houses the provincial government facility, catering only cases with minor care and supervisions which do not require intensive care units (ICUs).

“There is a need for a higher quality of care in the Fifth District of Cebu. While the Vicente Sotto Hospital in Cebu City caters to the whole Province of Cebu, unfortunately, Cebuanos living in far-flung areas have little or no access to higher level of health care,” said Frasco.

With this, he said there is a need for high level facilities in the hospital such as an ICU for critically ill patients and specialist doctors for gynecology and pediatric services to serve the current and immediate future health care needs in the Province of Cebu.

Under the proposed bill, the DOH will determine the additional plantilla positions in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Civil Service Commission (CSC) and in consultation with the management of the NCMC.

Being among his top priorities since he assumed his office, Frasco has been conducting free medical missions in the mountain barangays, giving free medicines and vitamins through the Frasco Foundation. — GMR (FREEMAN)