Villar pushes expansion of Las Pinas hospital

With the onslaught of COVID-19 pandemic and the probable occurrence of other emerging infectious diseases in the near future, Sen. Cynthia Villar is pushing for the expansion of the Las Pinas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (LPGH & STC).

During the Senate Committee on Health hearing held May 26, Villar pushed for the passage of Senate Bill 143 which earmarks P500 million to increase the bed capacity of LPGH & STC from  200 to 500. The counterpart measure at the House of Representatives was authored by Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar and passed on March 2.

“Given the health emergency we have today, it becomes imperative to improve our hospitals and health facilities. Increasing the capacity of LPGH & STC will greatly benefit patients in South of Manila and nearby cities and municipalities of Cavite,” Villar said.

During the hearing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said he is supporting the measure along with other bills increasing hospital bed capacities in Cagayan Valley Medical Center in Tuguegarao City and the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City.

The construction of the additional eight-storey building in LPGH & STC is slated to be finished next year. The senator also channelled P144 million last year to purchase the land and start building construction.

"We are in the middle of a healthcare crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic, according to global health experts themselves, is here to stay. But as it stands now, existing hospital facilities are not enough to meet the requirements. So, I believe increasing the bed capacity of government hospitals will be a big help to the people," said Villar.

There are about 456 hospitals in the country with a total bed capacity of 67,119. Approximately 41 percent of these beds are in government-owned hospitals while the remaining 59 percent are in private hospitals.

Villar cited that majority of existing hospital beds are being used for treating non-Covid patients, so local government units (LGUs) should really ensure the availability of more hospital beds for Covid-19 patients. Investment in healthcare facilities, she cited, is a must.

"Once the expansion of LPGH & STC is completed, the facilities for COVID-19 and non-COVID patients can be separated to avoid the spread of the virus, one building each. That would also ensure that regular healthcare services are not disrupted," the senator said.