16 December 2009

Belmonte wants more health centers in QC

With the growing number of underprivileged citizens in need of medical assistance, Quezon City authorities said they will prioritize the construction of more modern healthcare facilities in the city to cater to their constituents’ health requirements.

Although there are already sufficient public hospitals in Quezon City, Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the city still needs to construct more modern medical health centers to cater to even the most sensitive illness afflicting the poor.

Belmonte said he has consulted with his men regarding his plan to build more health care facilities in remote areas where there are scarce or no regular health centers available.

The mayor said although generally Quezon City has a “terrific health care facility presence,’’ there is still an urgent need to construct government health care units in far-flung areas that will provide the medical needs of local residents especially during emergency cases.

Belmonte directed Department of Engineering chief Joselito Cabungcal to coordinate with the concerned local health officials regarding the construction of a three-storey building at the back of the Novaliches District Hospital (NDH).

With District Two accounting for more than 50 percent of the city’s population, Belmonte has expedited plans to construct a state-of-the-art hospital on Commonwealth Avenue in the vicinity of Area Seven.

Cabungcal said Quezon City Hall officials are planning to start the construction of the modern hospital in the district within the year, adding that the city government is rushing the completion of the 500-bed Quezon City General Hospital in Barangay Bahay Toro.

He said the target completion date of the QCGH is April 2010.

By Chito A. Chavez

Manila Bulletin

December 7, 2009