BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The upgrading of medical facilities of the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, Negros Occidental, continues with the recent acquisition of a 2D echocardiography machine, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said yesterday.
For this year alone, Diaz said the provincial government, under the administration of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, allocated more than P100 million for the upgrading and further improvement of the TLJPH, to serve the basic health needs of Negrenses.
Diaz, who was updated yesterday by Dr. Mary Ann Maestal, TLJPH chief, on the recent developments at the hospital, said the 2D echocardiography machine is now being used for free by indigent patients.
He added that the provincial government, through its Hospital Operations Division, also purchased an anesthesia machine, as well as x-ray machine for use by doctors in the Operating Room, so that patients would no longer be moved or inconvenienced.
“Our doctors now have the technology that they need to become efficient and effective, in their decision-making, in terms of giving intervention to our patients at TLJPH,” Diaz said.
VACCINE ROLLOUT
Diaz also said that 260,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered to Negrenses, and that he expects the number to increase within the week, with the arrival of 80,000 doses of Sinovac vaccine recently.
The provincial government already started the vaccination of those in the A4 category, or commercial workers, especially those coming from the sugar industry and the poultry sector.
Diaz said almost 12 percent of the 1.4 million targeted population of Negros Occidental have been inoculated.
The province is targeting to vaccinate 70 percent of the population as soon as possible, although Diaz said it will still depend on the delivery of vaccines to the province.
“We assured the national government of using the vaccines within five days after arrival,” he added.*
