By CESAR JOLITO III

The emergency room (ER) of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) will shut down starting in September for a P92-million renovation aimed at transforming the aging facility into a modern, fully equipped center for urgent care.

CLMMRH chief Dr. Joan Cerrada said the renovation project, expected to last three months, will replace the “rundown” ER with upgraded infrastructure and equipment to improve patient outcomes.

The hospital’s current ER has a 68-bed capacity but regularly handles 92 to 144 emergency cases in a 24-hour period.

During the renovation, only 13 to 14 cases can be managed in a temporary ER.

To avoid service gaps, emergency patients will be redirected to private hospitals, with Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez assuring that the government is working on a program to cover treatment costs, similar to the Bacolod Comprehensive Health Program.

Benitez also pushed for a dry run of the patient transfer system to ensure fast response times.

Health Undersecretary Dr. Mary Ann Maestral confirmed the closure schedule, noting that coordination with local government units and emergency responders is ongoing.

In addition to the ER upgrade, Cerrada said CLMMRH is installing solar panels at its West Tower to power new air-conditioning units in the wards, improving comfort for both patients and staff.

Earlier, CLMMRH was designated as the Department of Health (DOH) hospital in Negros Island Region.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration assured that every Filipino gets free services and medicines for DOH hospital basic accommodation.

With the additional 15 percent funds in maintenance and other operating expenses, DOH hospitals are better prepared to implement the “no balance billing” policy, which is a concrete step towards better quality medical services for all./CJ, WDJ