The Cebu Provincial Government will convert the Capitol-run Minglanilla District Hospital from its infirmary classification status into a DOH-accredited Level II hospital. Capitol wants to establish the hospital as a trauma center that will cater to patients suffering from injuries such as falls, motor vehicle collisions, or gunshot wounds — thereby reducing patient referrals to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.
Capitol consultant Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, during a meeting at the Capitol on July 18, told the Gov. Gwen Garcia that for MDH to be made a trauma center, it will have to be elevated first into a DOH-accredited Level I hospital. For a start, a level one hospital is manned by specialists in medicine, pediatrics, OB-GYN, and surgery; and equipped with emergency and outpatient services; isolation facilities, surgical and maternity facilities, as well as secondary clinical laboratory.
Dr. Loreche heads a committee tasked by the Capitol to assess and recommend improvements for the Capitol’s 16 hospitals (4 provincial hospitals and 12 district hospitals).
However, Gov. Gwen wanted to raise the improvements a notch higher by upgrading MDH to a Level II hospital instead.
During the same meeting, the governor made a phone call to DOH 7 director Dr. Jaime Bernadas and asked him if MDH would be allowed to skip Level I classification status and be upgraded to Level II directly. Dr. Bernadas said this can be done as long as MDH will meet the requirements set by the DOH for a Level II facility.
To realize this plan, the Capitol will construct additional facilities for MDH, including augmenting its capacity to at least 150 beds — things which delighted the chief of hospital of MDH, Dr. Ian Genaldo.
Also present during the meeting were Board Member Dr. Stanley Caminero (chair of the PB committee on public health) and former Board Member Tata Salvador who is a member of Dr. Loreche’s assessment team. | BJR