SO that the residents of the second district of Tondo may enjoy modern and bigger facilities, expanded health care access and a wider array of medical services relating to maternal and child health, emergency and surgical care, Mayor Honey Lacuna, Vice Mayor Yul Servo and Congressman Rolan ‘CRV’ Valeriano (2nd district) broke ground for the building of the “Bagong Ospital ng Tondo (OsTon).”
It was learned from Lacuna that soon, a new and modern eight-storey hospital will replace the three-decades old, three-storey OsTon with the help of the office of Congressman Valeriano, whom the mayor lauded for his continued support and efforts to help her administration which is currently saddled with the P17.8 billion debt left behind by the previous city administration under Isko Moreno.
Lacuna said that the project is a solid proof that many things can be accomplished through the partnership of local and national officials and without having to incur any debts or loans.
In her message at the groundbreaking which was also attended by Dr. Alvin Baetiong, OIC Hospital Director, second district Councilors, barangay officials and residents, Lacuna said: “Isa sa mga pangunahing inaasahan ng ating mamamayan sa ating pamahalaan ang mapangalagaan ang kanilang kalusugan, na mayroon silang madaling matakbuhan sa oras ng kanilang karamdaman, may mga doktor na makokonsulta at libreng gamot na maibibigay sa kanila.”
City Engineer Moises Alcantara shared that the “Bagong Ospital ng Tondo” which will serve the second district residents of Tondo will have, among others, an operating room, male and female ward, pedia ward and a hemodialysis room.
“Mas malaki, mas maraming maibibigay na serbisyo at mas maraming tao ang matutulungan ng ating itatayong bagong ospital. Pero di nangangahulugan na wala na munang gamutang mangyayari o gagawin ang mga kawani nitong Ospital ng Tondo. Mayroon tayo siyempreng inihahaing mga options upang makapagpatuloy pa rin ang lahat sa pagseserbisyo at yung mga regular na mga bumibisitang mga pasyente sa OsTon ay mabigyan ng alternatibong lugar na puwedeng puntahan,” Lacuna assured.
“Anim naman itong ospital natin kaya sa tatlong pinaka-malapit dito natin sisikaping i-refer ang mga pasyente ng OsTon, tulad sa Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center sa Zaragosa/Del Pan, puwede rin sa Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital sa Numancia sa Binondo, o kaya naman sa Ospital ng Sampaloc sa Geronimo,” she added.
“Sandali lang naman at di lilipas ang dalawang taon ay mayroon na tayong bubuksang Bagong Ospital ng Tondo. Ito ay alay namin nila Congressman Rolan CRV Valeriano sa mga taga Distrito Dos. Kaya muli, maraming salamat Cong CRV sa inisyatibo mong mapaglaanan ng pondo ang pagpapatayo nitong bagong ospital dito sa iyong distrito,” Lacuna said.
Valeriano, who also spoke at the said inauguration, expressed confidence that once the construction of the new OsTon is finished in two year’s time, it is still him, Lacuna and Servo who will be inaugurating it.
Too, Valeriano said that he and the other incumbent Manila Congressmen are fully in support of Lacuna and her programs for the coming years, all aimed toward a “Magnificent Manila in 2030.” Five out of six Congressmen in Manila are running under the Lacuna-Servo tandem.
Lacuna meantime took pride in ensuring that medicines are provided for those who need them and vowed continued efforts to strengthen the capabilities of the city’s health centers for them to serve as the center in the provision of primary health care services.
It will be recalled that when she assumed mayorship, Lacuna, a doctor, improved the health centers so that they now provide basic laboratory tests like complete blood chemistry or blood test, for instance. Some are being transformed into “Super Health Centers” offering additional services like x-ray, ECG and ultrasound, so that through the centers, the long lines in the city’s six district hospitals will be lessened.
“Kaya’t bilang isang doktor na minsan ding nagsilbi sa Tondo Health Center at Ospital ng Tondo at ngayo’y napagtiwalaan ninyong maging punong lungsod, naging prayoridad natin ang programang pangkalusugan. Unang-una nating ginawa ay tiniyak natin na nasa ayos ang ating anim na ospital at 44 na health center,” she stressed.
