Negros Occidental builds medical supply depot

BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Occidental provincial government is establishing the Provincial Health Office (PHO) supply depot here in compliance with the infrastructure requirements under the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, in a statement on Monday, said the vision of providing a provincewide health system “relies on the continuous improvement of healthcare delivery, policies, resources, and infrastructure”.

He said establishment of the supply depot, which is being built beside the vaccine cold room at the motor poll, will enhance storage capacity as well as integrate and streamline the storage of medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies in one centralized l ocat i on.

By using an in-house developed interactive application, the province will improve resource management, monitoring, and responsive distribution of medicines and supplies from the depot to the local government units and villages, he said.

“This innovation aims to ensure that resources are efficiently moved and made available where the actual needs arise at the proper time. Our goal is to significantly reduce, if not entirely eradicate, the issue of unutilized expired medicines,” he said.

Meanwhile, the provincial government is upgrading the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City into a Level 3 hospital for it to be considered as a tertiary hospital that can provide all kinds of healthcare services.

Efforts to upgrade into Level 2 hospitals are also ongoing for Cadiz District Hospital in Cadiz City, Valladolid District Hospital in Valladolid town, and Lorenzo Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City.

“These are strategically based on their location and the population they will serve within their catchment area. This ensures the accessibility and availability of adequate services, facilities, doctors, and medical staff to our constituents,” Lacson added.( PNA)