Nationalizing Benguet General Hospital

 BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – It is high time the national government takes over the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) from the cudgels of the provincial government.

Over the years, we have seen the inefficiency of administration of the hospital. Recently, the mother of a baby patient complained to us she submitted her billing around 10 a.m. so they could check out from the hospital. Around 2:30 p.m., she was not yet given clearance to move out.

The one in charge at the billing section reportedly told the mother there were still a lot of papers ahead of her which needed to be finished.

The mother was complaining there were only at least three persons in the area who filed their papers so they could be given clearance to move out since it was a Saturday.

It was only when the one in charge was asked what really was the problem that she was given clearance.     

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Over the years, since I live nearby, I could personally attest to the inefficient administration of the BeGH since I have myself checked up there once in a while like when my blood pressure shoots up or my liver complains due to a a drink too many.     

Sometimes, it takes an eternity for one to get attention for one’s ailment, reason why I go now to nearby private clinics or in Baguio to have myself checked up.

Owing to reported lack or inadequacy of personnel, patients have to endure long lines before they are checked up.

Like in the case of the mother, there was no pediatrician around when she had her kid admitted. A nurse just inserted a dextrose needle on the weak baby’s wrist who was crying pitifully and visibly in pain.  

The kid who was vomiting and had diarrhea needed immediate attention. But there was no doctor so she had to call a doctor she knew to go to the hospital to check her baby.

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Over the years, I’ve heard a lot of horror stories of patients about their bad experiences at the hospital. Some complained some staff were rude, although some doctors did their job efficiently.

The BeGH also lacks enough facilities like dialysis machines or those for eye operations unlike the Baguio General which is now getting patients all over Luzon due to its modernized facilities and systematic way of handling things.

Among other matters, the BeGH badly needs to be upgraded to be at par with world-class standards considering it is the nearest hospital which should be catering to Benguet and nearby provinces.

If this is done and the hospital placed under the national government, patients at the overcrowded BGHMC in Baguio could be decongested.

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It is welcome news that Benguet’s province’s caretaker congressman Eric Go Yap said Thursday he has filed a bill reverting the BeGH to the national government’s control and increase its bed capacity from 200 to 400.

In filing the bill, Yap said he wants to improve the facility, as well as service with the staff receiving much better pay.

Yap said he is saddened with the low pay of nurses, whom he said, receive a Salary Grade (SG) 9 when they should be receiving at least SG 15.

An SG 9 employee gets P17,975 and an SG 15 gets P32,000 under the new salary grade scheme.

Yap said he has already talked with Gov. Melchor Diclas, a physician, who is amenable to his proposal. “Walang gustong gobernador na ibigay sa national government ang Benguet General Hospital, except Gov. Diclas (No Benguet governor wanted to have Benguet Gen nationalized),” said Yap, adding that the Dept. of Health also welcomes his proposal.

A PNA report by Pigeon Lobien said the BeGH was first opened to the public in 1971 under the supervision of the DOH.

In 1993, due to the passage of the Local Government Code in 1991, operation and management were devolved to the province. From a 50-bed hospital facility, the BeGH was made into a 200-bed capacity in 2000.

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Yap was on a three-day stay here last week that included meetings with La Trinidad, Benguet-based Team Lakay whom he promised to give a gym of their own, check on the hospital and a meeting with the Dept. of Public Works and Highways on what projects must be implemented.

He met with the Dept. of Agriculture on how his office could help implement farm-to-market roads.

He will also meet with the mayors of the 13 municipalities, and the Police Regional Office-Cordillera to have a better look at what the province needs as its caretaker-congressman.