MANILA -- President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday said his government is eyeing more areas where specialty hospitals can be erected to address the healthcare needs of underserved Filipinos.

“Ang napagkasunduan namin, ay imbes na magtayo ng bago pang ospital ay mag-extension na lang ‘yung mga ibang ospital para mayroong specialty na ilang kama, para talaga as a specialty hospital,” the President told reporters in an interview in Bulacan.

“So ‘yun ang plano natin. And we are now identifying kung saan ‘yung areas. Tinitingnan natin kung ano ‘yung naging karanasan natin noong pandemic, saan sila nahirapan at saan sila. Malayo masyado ‘yung pasyente, kailangang dalhin at doon natin ilalagay, doon sa mga lugar na ‘yun," he added.

Marcos led the groundbreaking of the St. Bernadette Children and Maternity Hospital in Barangay Gaya-Gaya in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan during the day.

The level-1 hospital will be equipped with 65 hospital beds, including important facilities such as operating room, recovery room, maternity and isolation facilities, clinical laboratory, imaging facility, and pharmacy.

“The hospital that we just inaugurated is also a specialty hospital because it is really for women and children. So another one of the biggest conditions that we have to deal with is pregnancy. So tamang-tama, maraming matutulungan ‘yan,” the President said.

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In his speech, Marcos urged the private sector and medical professionals to support the government’s medical programs.

“Hinihikayat ko ang pribadong sektor at ang propesyong medikal na suportahan at isulong ang mga programang pangkalusugan ng pamahalaan, tulad sa larangan ng serbisyong medikal at [pamumuhunan] sa imprastraktura pangkalusugan, lalo na sa mga malalayo at salat na komunidad,” he said.

“Nagkakaisa tayo sa paniniwala na obligasyon ng pamahalaan na alagaan ang kalusugan ng kaniyang mamamayan, upang panatilihin silang… maitaguyod ang mga sarili at ang kanilang pamilya, at para sa masiglang pagtakbo ng ating ekonomiya," he added.

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