Former City Hospital Chief Dr. Vincent Tero disclosed that too much politics played at the city hall-run hospital pushes it into a “pitiful” state.

“The order of the day [...]]]> The facilities and services of the city government-run J.R. Borja General Hospital could have been improved if the equipment, drugs and medicines donated by other sources were accepted.

Former City Hospital Chief Dr. Vincent Tero disclosed that too much politics played at the city hall-run hospital pushes it into a “pitiful” state.

“The order of the day is not to accept any donation coming from the opposition bloc especially from Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Reps. Rolando Uy and Rufus Rodriguez,” he said.

Tero who also served as City Health Officer during the incumbency of Mayor Vicente Emano and then was later detailed to the Philippine National Red Cross –Mindanao Blood Bank when he accommodated some P2 million worth of medicines from Pimentel sometime in 1997.

He said during his stay with the city hospital, he accepted a donation of CT Scan from Pimentel, but he was allegedly ordered to reject the same and later transferred to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).

“Naa unta’y CT scan ang city hospital. Dili na unta mobayad ug tag-tres mil ang mga pasyente sa dakbayan kung magpa-CT scan pero wala dawata,” he stressed.

Another CT scan coming from Rep. Uy was about to be delivered to the city hospital last year, but was again rejected by the present administration without any justifiable reason.

Tero said the present administration has made the city hospital into a “pitiful” state including it’s services to the public.

“Bisan gapas ug alcohol wala diha. Tambal pa kaha hinoon,” he added.

A reliable source said that according to the Dr. Tero operating equipment lamps and other equipment are no longer serviceable.

The hospital use fluorescent lamps as incubator for premature babies.

“Ang suga kahulogon. Gihiktan na lang. Mahadlok ang gi-operahan,” he said.

He said that turning-over the entire responsibility of the city hospital to the Department of Health (DOH) is the only solution to uplift the status of the city hospital.

Members of the opposition bloc is set to conduct an investigation on Tero’s disclosures.

Earlier, Dra. Fe Tagayuna, who was appointed by City Mayor Constantino Jaraula to head the city hospital but later resigned from office after she was reportedly detailed to one of the urban barangays.

Assistant Minority Floor Leader Roger Abaday said Tero’s pronouncement is a clear indication that the city hospital has been manage badly.

“Maulaw kita sa katawhan nga instead of improving it’s services to the public it has become an awkward health service provider. This should be corrected,” he said. by LITO RULONA Gold Star Daily News Mindanao

In 2006, the city hospital enjoyed its biggest budget in six years — P123 million — but this amount would dramatically be reduced to around P60 million the following year, [...]]]> THE city-run JR Borja General Hospital hasn’t had a stable budget in recent years, its appropriations rising and falling to resemble that of an erratic curve.

In 2006, the city hospital enjoyed its biggest budget in six years — P123 million — but this amount would dramatically be reduced to around P60 million the following year, or a cut of over P62 million.

On its face, the hospital’s general budget cycle — not counting the exceptional downward spiral in 2007 — has seen a steady growth, rising from over P56 million in 2004 to around P70 million in 2005. From 2007, the funding climbed to over P78 million in 2008, increasing to P83 million this year.

But these increases have largely been driven by inflation and the local government’s administrative obligations to the hospital personnel.

Funds allocated for medicines and life-saving apparatus — lumped under the maintenance, overhead, and operating expense (MOEE) — have remained disproportionate to Cagayan de Oro’s population over the years, and followed the erratic pattern in the general budget.

For example, the MOOE in 2005 saw an increase of over half the amount compared to the previous year — at around P24 million. This amount would only grow by P2 million in 2006, and dropping by a whooping P6.9 million in the succeeding year.

In 2008, the MOEE would again rise to P13 million, or an appropriation of over P32 million.

The additional money for MOEE this year? A meager P215,353.

Specifically, a budget of P4.6 million out of the P32.9 million MOOE for 2009 is allocated for medicines, patient’s subsistence, and medical supplies such as X-ray films, medical oxygen, and nitrogen oxide.

As of August 1, 2007, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) placed the city’s total population at 553,966.

What that means is that at any one time, the local government only sets aside a miniscule P8.30 on medicines and other life-saving apparatus for any patient admitted to the city-run hospital.

To compare, the P123 million budget in 2006 allocated around P23.4 million for medicines and medical supplies.

Noticeably, however, bulk of that budget went to the construction of an additional building amounting to P50 million. The rest was appropriated to hospital equipment such as one unit of operating room table that cost P1.3 million, five units of fire extinguisher that cost P79,550, a unit of ultrasound machine at P4 million, two computer sets at P120,000, a unit of anesthesia machine at P2.3 million, and two ECG machines at P300,000.

Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro’s analysis of the budget is based on the approved appropriations in the last six years obtained by this paper.

The hospital’s budget has come under scrutiny after several doctors resigned lately, complaining of low pay and poor working conditions. They also lamented the lack of crucial life-saving devices at the hospital, which they said has contributed to its deteriorating services.

Corruption has also tainted the management of the hospital.

In 2007, several employees accused the then hospital chief, Dr. Jerie Calingasan, of graft and corruption. A graft case against Dr. Calingasan is pending at the Ombudsman.

Calingasan, who was stripped of his position at the hospital and reassigned back to the City Health Office, has denied the allegation.

Aided by their lawyer, Manuel Ravanera, the employees alleged that Calingasan made “emergency purchases” that were not actually “emergency” in character. Among the hospital “purchases” was a repair of a Toyota Tamaraw FX and a Kia Besta Ambulance, which amounted to P131,200. Calingasan reimbursed the amount because it supposedly came from his pocket.

There were also purchases of hospital supplies, among others, eight kilos of detergent powder at a price of P11,500.00 or an amount of P1,437.50 per kilo.

In 2006 and 2007, Calingasan was reimbursed the amount P855,939 purportedly due to the “advances” he made to the hospital.

During that period, the complainants alleged that the hospital purchased an overpriced X-ray machine, which cost P6.5 million but supposedly had an actual market price of P3 million. A surgical table that is unbranded and costing P400,000 allegedly purchased at P1.2 million.

These and other irregular transactions were approved by then mayor Vicente Emano, the complaint said.

Last year, a state auditor said in a report that P15 million worth of drugs and medicines at the city-run hospital cannot be accounted.

Emergency Room, J.R. Borja General Hospital

A city hospital physician, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the doctors resigned as a group as a statement to City Hall [...]]]> LOW pay and poor working conditions have forced most doctors of the government owned JR Borja Memorial City Hospital to tender their resignations, a hospital insider said.

Emergency Room, J.R. Borja General Hospital

A city hospital physician, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the doctors resigned as a group as a statement to City Hall that they had lost confidence on the way things are going at the hospital.

Already saddled with patient overload, JR Borja doctors have to contend with lack of medicines and adequate facilities.

Doctors are also inadequately paid compared to other public hospitals, the source said, but clarified that this was not the main reason for the exodus.

The last straw came when City Hall itself scuttled the planned annexation of the City Hospital to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).

Had the plan been realized, it would have would have placed the smaller city-run hospital under the national government, increasing its funding along with the salary of the personnel.

“After that nawad-an na sila og gana. Ingon sila wala gyuy mahitabo ini nga ospital(They just lost hope after that. They said nothing good would come out if they stay in the hospital),” the doctor said.

The source said other doctors like him had also planned to quit, but opted to stay hoping “things will change so soon.” Foremost, the physician said he and his colleagues are hoping that City Hall will reconsider its position on the hospital’s conversion into a national medical facility.

A number of City Hall officials confirmed Monday’s resignations of at least 13 doctors. The City Hospital has 31 doctors in its plantilla.

However, officials could not agree what made the doctors quit.

Cagayan de Oro Councilor Dante Pajo, chair of the committee on health and social service, attributed the doctors’ exodus to “conflict of scheduling in their duty hours.”

Most the doctors who resigned had wanted to work for two straight days to cover the mandated 40 or so duty hours and then avail of five days off, Pajo said.

“Nangbalhin ang mga doctors kay nangita’g more lenient working hours siguro. They are all good doctors but we can’t prevent them from transferring,” Pajo said.

But the councilor said the government hospitals can’t bend work schedules to give doctors “lenient schedules.”

“Doctors are obliged to work eight-hour shifts every day. That’s the way government hospitals work because we are in public health service,” he said.

However, City Information Officer Erwin Culanag said most of those who tendered their resignations had said they wanted to “seek greener pastures.”

“Ang sweldo daw ang rason, ubos ra daw para sa ila,” Culanag told Sun.Star, citing his conversation with Dr. Philip Medalle, acting chief of hospital.

Pajo said doctors from the City Health Office (CHO) had been ordered to temporarily cover the night shifts to cover the staff shortage.

Human Resource Department Head Adriano Lumagsao, Jr. said his office had yet to receive copies of the names of the doctors who resigned.

The staff shortage has taken a toll on the services of the hospital, which already has shortened its consultation hours.

City Hall had earlier rejected a bill authored by 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez seeking the integration of the rundown JR Borja Memorial City Hospital to the better-equipped NMMC.

House Bill 239 provides “for the upgrade and modernization of the J.R. Borja City Memorial Hospital as an extension hospital of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center in Cagayan de Oro and appropriating funds therefore.”

The bill is co-authored by 1st district Rep. Rolando Uy.