State-of-art hospital soon to rise in Abra

by Maritess Benas

Bangued, Abra (7 November) — The provincial government is all set with its ambitious project of building a new and state-of-the-art hospital to replace the existing Abra Provincial Hospital (APH) in Brgy. Calaba, this capital town.

Governor Eustaquio P. Bersamin announced that amount of P180 Million is earmarked for the construction of the building. The project will be funded primarily from the loan of the provincial government from the Land Bank of the Philippines and partly from the local funds of the provincial government.

The new hospital, a two-storey building, will be erected at the compound of the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Brgy. Calaba, just a kilometer away from the existing provincial hospital.

The new APH project is a dream project of the Governor which he had promised to the people of Abra during his campaign sorties in 2007. He had been telling everyone, that he had long wanted to build a new hospital with complete facilities that would respond to the needs of the people so that they need not go to other provinces and cities for medical attention especially because Abra is a landlocked province.

His dream of building a new hospital was further aflamed during his frequent visits where he saw the problems of lack of facilities and space to accommodate the so many patients at the AHP during peak periods of certain diseases.

Provincial Health Officer Godofredo Gasa reported that the capacity of the existing APH is only 100 beds but more often than not, they are catering to an average of 170 to 200 patients at a time. This is the reason why patients are lying in beds along the corridors. Most of the patients belong to the poor families who can not afford to seek the services of private hospitals and clinics in town.

Gasa also said that serious cases are being brought to the tertiary hospitals in other provinces because the APH does not have the capacity to treat them due to inadequate advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities such as cardiac monitor, ventilator, CT Scan, anesthesis machines, operating lights and the much-needed Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Worst, the physical structures of the APH are already deteriorated to the discomfort of the patients and their care-givers.

In support of this project, Health Secretary Francisco Duque committed to provide hospital equipments in the amount of P50 Million. The DOH is now ready with the funds and is just waiting for the list of the machines and equipments that the APH needs. (PIA-Abra)