Vergara allots P225-M for BGHMC upgrade

BAGUIO CITY -- The Baguio General Hospital will soon be receiving a 225 million grant for the upgrading of medical equipment, facilities and infrastructure through the initiative of Rep. Bernardo M. Vergara who lobbied for inclusion of the fund in the general appropriations for 2013.

           

The approval of the fund is a result of the efforts of the solon who justified the need for the upgrading of medical facilities of the BGH through a series of hearings in the lower house.

           

Vergara during those hearings encountered opposition from other representatives who believed the amount being asked was too big.

           

But Vergara said cutting down on his budget request will redound to the failure of meeting the objective of upgrading the medical technology, facilities and amenities provided by BGH not only for the citizens of Baguio City but also for its neighboring provinces.

           

P200 million has been earmarked for the upgrading and acquisition of new equipment and facilities and 25M for infrastructure development of the Baguio General Hospital.

           

This development is expected to provide practical convenience for patients who usually have to travel to Dagupan City or Manila for sensitive medical procedures and treatment.

          

At present, the BGHMC only has a cobalt machine, which caters to the increasing number of cancer patients seeking treatment there, but the role of the cobalt unit has partly been replaced by the linear accelerator, which can generate higher energy radiation.

          

Cobalt therapy or cobalt-60 therapy is the medical use of gamma rays from cobalt-60 radioisotopes to treat conditions such as cancer. Because the cobalt machines are expensive and require specialist support, they were often housed in cobalt units such as one located in BGHMC.

Vergara said that he expects the Senate to approve the budget allocation saying that no less than President Benigno Aquino is very supportive to the modernization of key hospitals in the country.