Two landmark ordinances to improve health services in Negros Occidental are set to be passed, Board Member Melvin Ibañez, Negros Occidental Sanggunian Committee on Health chairman, said yesterday.

He said a hospital reform agenda ordinance is being readied to improve the response of personnel in provincial government run hospitals to the needs especially of poor patients.

“We have been modernizing the building and equipment of our district hospitals but be need to rationalize the running of the hospitals, too, to make them more responsive,” he said.

Ibañez said P30 million each have been allocated for the improvement of the Valeriano Gastulao District Hospital in Himamaylan and the Valladolid District Hospital that is expected to start next month.

“Eventually, aside from being general hospitals, we hope to make our district hospitals specialized centers,” he said. “The target is to make the Kabanakalan hospital specializes in handling trauma cases, Valladolid – eye and Isabela – cardio vascular discomfort,” he said.

Ibañez said also being sought to be passed is a bill requiring a simultaneous provincewide campaign against denque to start March 1, with a penal clause for non compliance.

This is necessary because dengue that has four strains hits all year round, he said.

The provincial government is also studying Ambassador Eduardo Conjuangco's proposal for the setting up of a provincial affordable insurance plan that could start this year, Ibañez said.*CPG

back to top