The provincial government of Albay aims to open a new health facility in March to provide better access to healthcare services to residents in coastal barangays.

Governor Noel Rosal on Wednesday said the 50-bed Pio Duran Memorial District Hospital (PDMDH) in Barangay Caratagan, Pio Duran, will help ease the burden of residents in coastal barangays who have to travel to Ligao and Legazpi just to avail of health services.

Pio Duran is around one hour away from Ligao and two hours away from Legazpi by car.

“The facility is almost done. We need to talk to the Albay Electric Cooperative (Aleco) about the power, also for the water supply, and install cabinets. By March, we will open this. This can be used not just by the people of Pio Duran but also by those from Oas and Ligao City,” he was quoted by the Albay Provincial Information Office as saying in an interview.

The PDMDH will be equipped with complete facilities such as an emergency room, delivery room, operating room, laboratory, and dietary section.

Rosal also said that upon opening, the hospital will implement the government’s zero-balance billing policy.

“Yes, this will be zero-balance billing. We are only Level 1, so most of the cases will be covered under the PhilHealth case rate and will be PhilHealth-accredited,” he added.

Rosal further said additional medical practitioners will be hired to help manage the hospital as part of the provincial government’s priority health program.

He also said a budget of PHP150 million has been allocated for medicines to be divided among the different province-maintained hospitals.

He added that the provincial government also aims to open a dialysis center with a 10-chair capacity. (PNA)