By CESAR JOLITO III
The Negros Association of Chief Executives (ACE) has raised concerns over the implementation of the One Hospital Command (OHC), calling for a thorough review and fine-tuning of the provincial health referral system following mounting public complaints.
Negros ACE president and Cadiz City Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalante said the initiative, while well-intentioned, has shown gaps that need immediate correction, particularly in handling emergency cases.
His remarks came after Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson requested the league of mayors to assess the effectiveness of the OHC and present a unified position on areas that require improvement.
The OHC was launched by the provincial government as a centralized hospital referral and emergency coordination system among health facilities in Negros Occidental’s 31 local government units.
It aims to streamline communication and speed up patient referrals during medical emergencies.
Escalante said city and municipal mayors are now evaluating the system based on their respective local experiences and are preparing a position paper to be submitted to Lacson in the coming days.
The document will include observations, identified weaknesses and proposed measures to improve response time and coordination.
While acknowledging the benefits of the OHC, Escalante cited incidents that highlighted its shortcomings, including reported delays in patient referrals.
He recalled a motorcycle accident victim who was brought to Cadiz District Hospital but allegedly died due to delays in the referral process, underscoring the need for urgent adjustments in the system.
Despite the criticisms, Escalante stressed that the program should not be abandoned but improved to better serve the public, especially during life-and-death situations.
Cadiz pushes construction of P270-M hospital
Amid ongoing concerns over healthcare access and emergency response, Cadiz City is proceeding with the construction of its own hospital, a project estimated to cost around P270 million.
Escalante said the hospital project is expected to be completed within 667 days, or more than one year and eight months, and will be undertaken by a local contractor.
Funding for the facility will come from a loan secured by the city government.
The planned hospital is expected to strengthen Cadiz City’s healthcare capacity and lessen dependence on external referral systems, particularly during emergencies.
“It’s there, and we just need to dig deeper,” Escalante said, referring to the city’s commitment to investing in long-term healthcare solutions for its residents./CJ, WDJ