Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

6775

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Representative Michael B. Gorriceta

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘Western Visayas Sanitarium, one of the retained-hospital of the Department of Health in Santa
Barbara, Iloilo is way forward to a century of existence. It has been 93 years that it established in
1927 for treatment of leprosy patients in the time when persons affected with the disease were
kept and isolated to the general public.

With the introduction of the Multi-Drug-Therapy regimen for leprosy in 1995, the prevalence
rate of leprosy has consistently been less than one per 10,000 people. In the past 20 years, the
number of new cases continued to dwindle down which necessitated the Department of Health to
reassess the functions of Wester Visayas Sanitarium. As a result, the Department issued
‘Administrative Order 2005-0013 in 2005 that expanded the role of Western Visayas Sanitarium
to cater not only to leprosy patients but also to general health care services and was provided for
50-bed facilities and personnel complement.

The dual role of providing leprosy custodial care and general health care take a toll on limited
resources of Westem Visayas Sanitarium as to finance, facilities and manpower from the time
the 50-bed building for general health care services was inaugurated on the 12" day of January
2010. The Western Visayas Sanitarium is licensed to operate as a 75-bed, Level 1 hospital in
2019 with budget allocation from the national government based on its original mandate as
leprosarium. It still maintains fifteen (15) custodial leprosy cases and caters to an average of 150-
160 admitted patients for general healthcare services and average of 200 out-patient daily
consultations under the following services: Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics-
Gynecology, Surgery and Family Medicine. The Western Visayas Sanitarium is technically
providing healthcare services beyond its capacity as Level | hospital.

Increasing trend from 2014 to present statistics in the provision of primary health care services,
as reflected in the succeeding table, shows the necessity that the legal mandate of Western
Visayas Sanitarium be expanded to ensure quality and affordable health care services, as
envisioned in the Universal Health Care.


HOSPITAL INDICATORS | 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Authorized Bed Capacity 50 50 50 50 50
Implementing Beds 50 50 50 50 50
Bed Occupancy Rate 125.31% | _297.17% | 302.74% | 303.91% | __ 315%
‘Average Daily Census 85 149 152 155 160
‘Average Length of Stay 3.07 4 4 6 42
Total Number of In-Patients 4378 6,283 9,104 8,645 8,246
Gross Death Rate = 1.48 1.53 1.44 1.76
‘Net Death Rate = 0.89 0.71 0.82 0.97
Hospital Infection Rate : 0.02 0.07 0.42 0.56
Total Number of Hospital
Deliveries 632 910 1114 1,315 1,351
Caesarian Rate 1.89 6.59 10.68 7.6 10.44
Emergency Room Visits 4,665 8,606 9,312, 8,876 11,950
OPD Consultations 35,847 | 32,354 38,259 | 44,638 45,912
| Surgeries 462 701 1,599. 1,090 1,101
Laboratory Services 63,543 72,959 | 115,644 | 119,602 | 104,038
Radiology Services 6,359, 8,329 11,178 13,945 14,883

With the advent of Universal Health Care, the Western Visayas Sanitarium is projected to cater
more patients, especially the poor and vulnerable, than presented in the statistical data,

|| mandates the expansion of Western Visayas Sanitarium into a sanitarium and general
hospital to be able to magnify general hospital services and develop specialized services while
upholding its original mandate for leprosy prevention, treatment, control and rehabilitation. This
would improve the availability of healthcare services for marginal and poor patients in the
catchment area.

In view of the foregoing considerations, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Wah

Hon. Michael B. Gorriceta


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO., 8775

Introduced by Representative Michael B. Gorriceta

AN ACT EXPANDING THE MANDATE AND SERVICE CAPABILITY OF
THE WESTERN VISAYAS SANITARIUM IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
SANTA BARBARA, ILOILO, RENAMING THE HOSPITAL AS WESTERN
VISAYAS SANITARIUM AND GENERAL HOSPITAL, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Western Visayas Sanitarium
Expansion and Development Act”.

SEC. 2. Sanitarium Expansion. Western Visayas Sanitarium located in Brgy. Inangayan, Santa
Barbara, Iloilo is hereby expanded from sanitarium to a sanitarium and general hospital with
specialty services on infectious diseases, with authorized bed capacity of 300 and to be known as
Western Visayas Sanitarium and General Hospital (WVSGH).

SEC. 3. Continued Service and Assistance to Leprosy Patients. The facility will continuously
work to manage and support the leprosy eradication program of the Department of Health
(DOH) especially in Region VI.

SEC. 4. Upgrading of Health Service Facilities and Capabilities. The existing hospital facilities
and professional health care services of the WVSGH are hereby upgraded and increase to
conform with and be commensurate to the increase in bed capacity as provided in Section 2 of
this Act.

The existing workforce of WVSGH shall be increased correspondingly. The Department of
Health (DOH) shall, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)
and the Civil Service Commission (CSC), and after consultation with the WVSGH, determine
the additional plantilla positions to be created and filled up.


SEC. 5. Transfer of Assets and Liabilities, Facilities, land and buildings, and equipment
acquired by the Western Visayas Sanitarium including its documents, medical and non-medical
records, liabilities and obligations are hereby transferred to the Western Visayas Sanitarium and
General Hospital.

SEC. 6 Security of Tenure. The position, seniority and security and other rights of tenure of
‘medical and non-medical personnel of the Western Visayas Sanitarium shall continue to be
honored under the Western Visayas Sanitarium and General Hospital

SEC 7. Appropriations. The Department of Health shall immediately include in its programs the
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC. 8 Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act
shall be deemed amended or repealed accordingly. If any provisions or part of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, the remaining parts of the provisions not affected shall remain in full
force and effect.

SEC. 9. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,