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Lady solon bats for more hospitals, health centers in island-towns to address pandemic
Lady solon bats for more hospitals, health centers in island-towns to address pandemic
As the COVID-19 pandemic continue to threaten public health, it is now time for government to establish public hospitals and clinic in island towns, especially those situated in remote areas.
Kusug Tausug Partylist Rep. Shernee Tan-Tambut made this observation as she sought the immediate passage of bills aimed at putting up public hospitals in island towns throughout the country.
Tan-Tambut, chairperson of the House Committee on Globalization and WTO, personally experienced the hardship faced by infected individuals when she tested postive to COVID-19 early last month.
Sharing details of her home quarantine in a series of posts in Facebook, Tan-Tambut said that although she caught a mild version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus , her loneliness over not having any personal contact except through her cell phone raised her fears about not recovering from the disease.
Her isolation also made her think about those who have caught or might catch the disease but have little access to testing and treatment because they live far from the populated centers where hospitals are located and transport to said hospitals are scarce and costly.
The partylist solon wrote that there are around 1,800 hospitals throughout the country in 2019, and about 40% of these are government hospitals.
The figures she quoted indicate the inadequate number of government hospitals that serve the needs of Filipinos living in the 81 provinces of the country.
Citing Sulu as an example, Tan-Tambut stated that of the province’s 19 municipalities, eight are island-towns far from the capital town, Jolo, where the hospitals are located. Sulu province has over 100 islands, most of which are populated.
Also the vice chairperson of the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, Tan-Tambut expressed concern for those living in distant islands who have caught the virus and would need special transport to reach the hospitals.
She stressed the need for Congress to immediately act on pending measures proposing the establishment of public hospitals and medical clinics in island towns and other remote communities.
Tan-Tambut vowed to push for the increase of primary an secondary government hospitals if Kusug Tausug wins another seat in the House of Representatives.