Governor Roel Degamo is scheduled to submit a copy of the program of work of the proposed construction of the four-storey hospital central block inside the NOPH compound to the Department of Health.

Governor Degamo already asked the PEO and the Provincial Health office to make available copies of the program of work so he can submit it to the DOH to possibly get financial assistance for the construction of the central block which is estimated to cost some 300 million pesos.

The governor prompted to make the initiative after he talked with DOH Secretary Enrique Ona who, based on their initial talks, already intimated to support the said project.

He informed the DOH Secretary that in the meantime, the Provincial Government is in the process of acquiring sea vans to be used as temporary wards in order to address the congestion problem of the main hospital.

Governor Degamo earlier approved the request of Provincial Health Officer Dr. Dante Domingo for the acquisition of four forty-footer sea vans costing about 1 million pesos.

Each forty-footer sea van could accommodate 10 beds.

The Governor claimed the DOH Secretary understands the predicament of the Provincial Government in handling the daily operation of the NOPH after he related to him that the NOPH has an average daily admission of 350 patients which is way over much the 250 bed capacity of the tertiary level two NOPH.

The construction of the hospital central block was among the brainchild projects of the late Governor Dodo Macias which Governor Degamo intends to finish under his term.

The late governor pushed for the hospital central block in order to provide more hospital rooms to address the overcrowded NOPH main building.

If completed, the first two storeys of the hospital central block will be utilized for maternal and surgical wards while the next two floors will be used for private rooms.