Friday, July 13, 2007 Where’s P31M budget for medicines, other services? By Gil Alfredo B. Severino
* Dr. Benito Bionat asks Dr. Domingo Vega
IT SEEMS that the corruption brouhaha at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod still far from being concluded.
This as Dr. Benito Bionat, currently chief of clinics in the hospital, on Thursday raised another question on the alleged P31 million questionable expenses of the hospital.
Bionat cited the CLMMRH 2007 records which there are a lot of questionable things like the P17 million for medical and dental supplies and dental laboratories, and the P14 for other professional services.
At the same time, Bionat lamented on the “sorry state” of services by the CLMMRH.
But as of April 2007, the hospital has earned about P12 million only from January to April.
Bionat stressed that the P17 million plus is allotted budget for medical, dental and laboratory fees yet, the pharmacy has no available drugs and medicines or even just a pair of Electro-Cardiograph Machine (ECG) at the emergency room and intensive care unit (ICU).”
“Pity those who have to buy outside medicines or outside undergo laboratory tests because doctors inside find medicines and supplies substandard, especially in the operating room,” Bionat added.
“Also, I pity the remaining doctors to serve 50 patients on the average because vacancies are not filled up, yet.
Bionat therefore challenged Chief of Hospital Domingo Vega to explain it all to the public.
As of Thursday, Bionat cannot clearly recall but he counted eight vacancies for doctors alone adding “This is the reason why the poor cannot be served properly because budgets go to the purchases of oxygen tanks, now recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.”
“I can only expose this much, I am challenging you members of media to find out why. Insist that everyone should be informed of the financial plans, operations and status of the hospital,” he said.
“For a start, I have to tell you that as chief of clinics, I have not participated in any hospital planning, programming, evaluation, assessment for the past years.
This 2007, I saw no plans when this 450 bed hospital had overflowing patients now sleeping at the floor,” he added.
At the same time, Bionat announced that he has not received official notice relieving him of his duties.
Even if he did, Bionat said he is resolved not to vacate by virtue of R.A. 7035 or the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers where it clearly provides for due process, preliminary investigation and appeal whenever administrative charges are filed against employees.
Meanwhile, former councilor Ana Marie Palermo was shocked to see for herself that Bacolod City is supporting only nine nurses at the Corazon L. Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) when 85 percent of the out and in-patients are Bacolod residents.
Palermo is a volunteer member of the Diocese of Bacolod Social Action Center-Health Watch team probing irregularities allegedly committed by “syndicates” operating inside CLMMRH.
“I am not even sure if these nurses are casuals or not because during the time of Mayor Oca Verdeflor, he assigned 100 casuals to ease the burden of patient care at CLMMRH,” Palermo said.
“What I am sure is that the City is appropriating a substantial amount to the City Health Office and the CLMMRH as reflected in the Annual Investment Plan (AIP),” Palermo added.
“I remember quite well the reason why Bacolod would not want to construct a hospital because of the CLRMMH. If it cannot support financially, it will support by augmenting the hospital’s manpower like what Mayor Oca did,” she said.
Palermo is saddened by the fact that the present administration does its best to build a P400 million government center, forcing and availing of loans while budget for health-hospitalization is comparatively minimal.
“This is how the City Government treats human beings. This is what I meant when I said, don’t make Bacolod like Sodom and Gomorrah. In these two cities, humans are meant to be ‘used’ for pleasure,” she explained.
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