Provincial Board Member Roseller Pineda proposed a resolution on Tuesday urging Governor Jose Chavez Alvarez, the Provincial Health Office and concerned local government units (LGUs) to conduct a study to put both Southern and Northern Palawan Hospitals to a co-management option or public and private partnership.
Pineda reasoned that 90 percent of the patients in these hospital are being referred to Puerto Princesa City hospitals for their medical demands. “90 percent from Northern Provincial Hospital ay may hawak pong referral yan [mga pasyente] na duon na po mag proceed sa Puerto Princesa at duon na po magpapagamot. Only 10 percent yung na-aattain sa kanilang problema sa kalusugan,” said Pineda.
Pineda also thinks that to able to upgrade the quality of their medical services is to put it under the co-management option or public and private partnership (PPP). “I think it is about time for us na magkaroon ng innovation partikular na magpag-aralan yung pagkakaroon ng co-management or even duon sa PPP sa public and private partnership [para sa dalawang ospital],” he added.
He also said that regardless of the annual budget from the provincial government these hospitals cannot sustain its needs to provide the best medical assistance to its constituents.
“Dito sa Southern and Northern Provincial Hospitals yearly nag-aaccomodate tayo ng halos 50 million (Fund)yearly and yet hindi pa kumpleto yun. Hindi nagpe-perform ng mga surgery, o minor surgery o ibang mga klase na kailangan sa medical,” said Pineda.
Pineda also believes that the provincial government is doing its part to improve the services offered, but thinks that it is time to study about the consideration of putting both Southern and Northern Provincial Palawan hospitals to a public and private partnership (PPP).
Board Member Eduardo Modesto Rodriguez, who is also the chair of the Health Committee, however, disagrees saying that the government is capable in providing the best health facility for its constituents. “Ako po ay naniniwala sa kakayahan ng ating pamahalaan, at medyo maskinakabahan pa nga ako kung ipapasok natin yung co-management with the private sectors. Because the government is the only sector that could provide the best health facility for our constituents,” he said.
Rodriguez also mentioned that privatization of the two hospitals is not the solution for their medical service improvement, but rather to fix the administration in the hospital itself as well as to have nurses, doctors and other medical staff that is dedicated to work with their hearts.
“Kung kaya nga ng mga private bakit hindi kaya ng ating pamahalaan. Ang importante lang ay mapangasiwaan at kung sino mang doctor ang ilalagay duon ay yung hindi lang nagtratrabaho para sa sweldo kundi nagtratrabaho ng may puso sa mga pasyente,” he said.
“Kaya ako ay naniniwala pa na hindi ito ang solusyon, there must be something along the line na sa sistema ng administrasyon ng ospital na mayroong problema, kaya yun ang dapat nating mapalutas,” Rodriguez added.
The resolution was referred to the Committee of Health to further study it.