By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday denied reports there are plans to close a government hospital. “It is not true that there will be government  hospitals that will be closed; all existing hospitals, whether a provincial or district hospital, will continue to operate,” the governor insisted.
Lacson said the provincial government is currently in the process of identifying facilities for upgrades.
He noted, the provincial government will focus on four hospitals.
“We will put our resources there and, when they reach Level II, then we go to the next hospital because, definitely, we can not do this all at the same time,” the governor said.
The four district hospitals are located in Cadiz City, Kabankalan City, Valladolid, and the fourth is the provincial hospital.
“We will upgrade them,” Lacson added. “I will make it clear that all existing hospitals will continue to operate.”
Meanwhile, the governor said he is considering the possibility of setting up dialysis machines at district hospitals as a means of eliminating the need for patients to travel to Bacolod City for treatment.
He noted, at least 70 percent of those seeking medical assistance are dialysis patients.
Lacson pointed out, of their facilities, the La Carlota City District hospital is the only one equipped with dialysis machines./DGB, WDJ

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