Solons bat for establishment of specialty hospitals nationwide

Reps. Paolo Duterte (Davao City, 1st District) and Eric Yap (Lone District of Benguet) jointly filed a proposed measure aiming to create regional specialty centers across the country in order to make health services more accessible.

House Bill (HB) No. 6857 or the Regional Specialty Hospitals Act in- tends to establish regional branches of specialty hospitals, such as the Philippine Heart Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Philippine Cancer Center.

“This is to provide access to affordable and quality healthcare services to all Filipinos, especially to those who are in the farflung areas of the country,” Duterte said in his explanatory note.

Duterte said most Filipino patients with serious illnesses would opt to see experienced doctors.

“However, in order to afford the expertise of these hospitals’ medical professionals and its advanced amenities and equipment, patients are being encumbered by the additional expenses on transportation and accommodation for their medical needs to be catered, most especially those that are from far-flung areas or provinces,” he noted.

Yap, on the other hand, said the Department of FSOLONS, P10