CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga (PIA) — The Kalinga provincial government continues to enhance health services for its people, investing in the expansion of the Kalinga Provincial Hospital’s (KPH) facilities with the addition of a children’s ward.
The new facility which had its ceremonial opening on July 16, increases the bed capacity of the KPH from 100 to 160 beds. It features a pulmonary ward, a Dengue ward, private rooms, semi-private rooms, a general infectious ward, a reverse infections ward, an isolation room, a gastro ward, a pediatric intensive care unit, and a neo-natal ward.
The initiative earned praise from Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, commending the provincial government’s efforts to provide quality healthcare to constituents.
“Bihira lang po tayong makarinig ng ganitong mga efforts galing sa ating mga local governments so for that, Gov., Vice Gov., and to your Board Members, congratulations,” Vergeire said.
“Ang pinakamaganda po, usually po makikita natin pag mga Children’s Ward laging sikip na sikip sa ibang ospital, masyadong maliliit, mainit. Makikita natin ‘yung mga bata na crowded sila sa loob ng kwarto. Dito po sa Children’s Ward ng Kalinga Provincial Hospital, naka-aircon po sila, public ward yan at ang mga kama ay hindi dikit-dikit,” she noted.
Vergeire committed to support the KPH’s bid to be upgraded into a Level 2 hospital.
“Napakalaking ospital, may kapasidad naman. Sa tingin ko, pwedeng maglevel 2. Tutulungan namin kayo. Maybe by the end of the year or first quarter of next year, complied na tayo and we can already have a level 2 hospital,” she said.
“Sa amin po sa Kagawaran ng Kalusugan, ang ating pong vision tsaka ang goal natin ngayon ay maitaas natin ang antas ng bawat pasilidad ng gobyerno dahil nakita natin ‘yung experience po natin nung COVID kung kailan kailangang-kailangan, ang kama po ay kulang na kulang. Ayaw na nating maranasan ulit yun kaya ngayon ang atin pong goal is to upgrade facilities base po sa kakakyanan para makapagbigay ng mas marami pang serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan,” said Vergeire, who served as government’s spokesperson during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Improving the local healthcare system is one of the thrusts of Gov. James S. Edduba under his LUMINAWA Kalinga eight-point agenda.
“There is one purpose kung bakit gusto sana naming mai-level 2. Kasi we have the Kalinga State University that would like to open up a Doctor of Medicine program. Isa ito sa pinapangarap namin na hopefully mangyari ito,” Edduba said.
The governor shared that the provincial government is currently building three hospitals in Tabuk City and in the municipalities of Tanudan and Rizal. **IOS-PIA CAR, Kalinga