Pangilinan pushes for establishment of Samar Island Medical Center

RECOGNIZING the gaps in the healthcare system exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Wednesday filed bill to establish the Samar Island Medical Center.

"Nakita natin ang maraming pagkukulang sa ating healthcare system dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic. Sa buong bansa mula sa datos noong 2018, meron lamang isang hospital bed para sa 2,228 na mamamayan. Sa Samar naman, meron lamang isang hospital bed para sa 2,174 na mamamayan. Hindi makatarungan ito kung kaya't inihain natin ang SBN 1791," Pangilinan said.

The Department of Health (DoH), in its Philippine Health Facility Development Plan 2017-2022, has set a target of 1 hospital bed per 800 citizens.

SBN 1791 or An Act Establishing the Samar Island Medical Center aims to build a tertiary hospital in Calbayog City, Samar. It will have a minimum capacity of 100 beds under the direct administrative and technical supervision of the DoH.

"Mahalagang magkaroon ng government hospital mismo sa Calbayog City upang masigurong mayroong access sa abot-kaya at dekalidad na serbisyong medikal ang ating mga kababayan sa Samar Island. Hindi na nila kailangan pang pumunta sa ibang probinsya para lamang magpatingin o komunsulta sa ibang government hospitals. Para po ito sa ating mga kababayan sa Samar," Pangilinan said.

There are a total of 2,364 COVID-19 cases in Eastern Visayas, with 909 active cases as of August 25. Seventy-two of these cases are from Samar, according to the DoH in Samar.

Calbayog City alone has reported 38 confirmed positive cases, 24 recoveries, 13 active cases, and 1 death as of August 24, said its city information office.