GenSan gets P28.5-M fund for hospital
GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Health Secretary Francisco Duque has released P13.5 million for the renovation of the General Santos City District Hospital to compliment the expansion project - the construction of the new P15 million worth two-storey building.
City Mayor Jun Acharon said that the P13.5 million budget would cover the construction of the hospital facade and the expansion of the Emergency Room and the Out-Patient Department to accommodate more patients and provide convenience to the public.
"I am very grateful to Secretary Francisco Duque for giving us P13.5 million to fund the improvement of our hospital. Surely, it would expand our health care services to a greater number of our constituents," Acharon said.
The local executive hailed Duque as a sensitive Health secretary who moves around the country to look into the facilities of government-owned hospitals and allocate funds for its improvement, expansion or providing the much needed equipment or machines.
Health care program, Acharon explained, is a basic service which the government must give to its growing population, especially the poor, as the world today is gripped by financial crisis that sparks increase in prices of medicines and services provided by doctors.
He pointed to the city-run General Santos City District Hospital, a tertiary hospital, as the alternative to the private hospitals, which provides cheap rates for doctors' fees, rooms - either ward or private, facilities, as well as, medicines.
The city, which is registering a fast population growth, is building a new two-storey building at the back of the present hospital building with a budget of P15 million to be able to accommodate more patients.
Apart from providing health care services to the city residents, Acharon disclosed that the city hospital is also accommodating patients from the nearby provinces of Sarangani and South Cotabato.
Acharon added that the city is also concreting Fernandez Road, the access road leading to the General Santos City District Hospital.