Group backs BMC’s plan for better health services

By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY --- The first formal meeting of officials of the Bicol Medical Center (BMC) with the members of the Multi-Sectoral Governance Council (MSGC) has resulted to the favorable endorsement of the council of the hospital’s plans to build a stronger health care system by capacitating its health care workers, among others.

BMC’s efforts to further improve and strengthen its health care services are anchored on the increasing number of patients availing of its services.

BMC records show that from 33,000 patients in 2015, the number increased to 44,549 in 2019. Bed occupancy of the hospital in 2019 also reached 194.82 percent, an overwhelming number that not only challenged the hospital’s management capacity, but also put to task its personnel’s capability to respond to the dissatisfaction of their patients who suffered the discomfort of lack of facilities.

To recall, BMC chief Dr. Francisco Sales III lobbied for an increase in bed capacity of the hospital, which was approved with the approval of Republic Act No. 11478 or the BMC Modernization Law initiated by Reps. Gabriel Bordado and LRay Villafuerte of the 3rd and 2nd districts of Camarines Sur, respectively.

Under this law, the BMC’s 500 bed capacity was increased to 1,000 beds.

Though considered as one of BMC’s milestones, the increase in bed capacity was not the end-all of the accommodation problem besetting this tertiary hospital, as patients coming from various places in the region continue to flock to BMC to seek medical treatments.

Sales expressed optimism that with the support of MSGC members, consisting of heads of private organizations and government agencies, the said challenge, along with other concerns will be addressed satisfactorily.

MSGC member agencies and organizations consist of the: Department of Health (DOH); Department of Education; Provincial Health Officers of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte; 9th Infantry Division; Bicol Consortium for Health Research and Development; Provincial Government of Camarines Sur; League of Municipalities of the Philippines; Local Government of Naga; Rotary Club of Naga; and Philippine Information Agency (PIA). (LSMacatangay, with reports from MMCompetence-BMC-PIAV/Camarines Sur)