Lingayen, Pangasinan: With the establishment of additional health facilities, procurement of state-of-the-art medical equipment, hiring of more health practitioners, and training, all 14 provincial government-run hospitals are now “hospitals of choice.”
In his first few months in service, in 2022, Governor Ramon V. Guico III ordered the hiring of additional health practitioners to be deployed in the various district and community hospitals in Pangasinan. From 3,117 in 2023 (1,826 health and 1,291 non-health personnel), the total number of both health and non-health personnel climbed to 3,221 in 2024 (1,910 health and 1,311 non-health personnel).
Various capability enhancement trainings were likewise conducted for health practitioners stationed in the different district and community hospitals.
In 2023, the province inked a partnership with the Department of Health-Center for Health Development 1 that facilitated the deployment of a Residency Training Program to reinforce the human resource requirement in government hospitals. A memorandum of agreement (MOA), on the other hand, was signed by Gov. Guico in February 2024 with the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center for the implementation of the Nursing Skills Training Program in Pangasinan.
Aside from enhancing the skills of medical workers and augmenting the number, the province also acquired new medical and laboratory equipment, including 21 ultrasounds, six computed tomography (CT) scans, one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 10 X-ray machines.
The Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program played a pivotal role in assisting indigent patients and those who are financially incapacitated. With this, a hefty amount of P461,801,375.00 was downloaded to the province, made possible through the signing of five separate Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs).
In the first MOA, the province received a total of P269,570,375.65, of which P267,332,429.59 was utilized. For the second MOA, P37,026,000.00 was downloaded, and P37,035,999.92 was utilized. An amount of P72,765,000.00 was granted in the third MOA, with P69,258,840.17 utilized. In the fourth MOA, the province received P55,440,000.00 and utilized a total of P47,969,270.89. An amount of P27,000,000.00 came from the fifth MOA, in which the province utilized P33,600,000.00. Sources of funds came from the health department and various senators, congressmen, party-list representatives, and other leaders.
To provide additional health facilities, the present administration endeavors to build hemodialysis centers in all district hospitals in Pangasinan. Recently, Gov. Guico led the groundbreaking of a three-storey building at Lingayen District Hospital. Upgrading the bed capacities of the various health facilities is also among the thrusts of the provincial government.
It can also be recalled that the province launched the Pangasinan Community-Based Konsulta Plus program to increase the utilization of healthcare services, particularly among vulnerable populations, based on their needs. This is just one of the many health projects of the present administration to achieve its thrust in instituting preventive health programs in the province.
Based on the report prepared by the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital Management Services Office (PHMSO), a total of 64,563 patients were admitted to the 14 government hospitals as of July 31, 2024.
Dr. Racki Senin Ogoy of the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital Management Services Office said the growing number of patients is an indication that provincial government-run hospitals are now hospitals of choice.
Meanwhile, with its commitment to excellence in health services and the healthcare system, the Province of Pangasinan was recently recognized as among Northern Luzon’s ‘Best Newborn Screening Facilities in Region 1 in the 2nd quarter of 2024 (Ruby F. Rayat, PIMRO)
