CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) – The Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH) inaugurated two major specialty centers in Pampanga, including the advanced comprehensive center for orthopedic care and the basic comprehensive center for trauma and burns, highlighting the Department of Health’s (DOH) commitment to modernization for health equity by enhancing healthcare infrastructure and services.
The new centers are part of the DOH-Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP), which were constructed through a three-year multi-year obligational authority granted by the Department of Budget and Management.
As part of the broader implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law and the Regional Specialty Centers Act which aims to bring advanced, accessible, and affordable healthcare services closer to the people, the facilities are fully operational and equipped with six state-of-the-art operating rooms, 125 ward beds, an ortho-trauma critical care unit, a burn unit, and a trauma emergency room.
The centers are designed to provide both surgical and non-surgical specialty services from advanced orthopedic procedures like spine and microvascular surgeries, to life-saving trauma operations such as craniotomy, thoracotomy, and reconstructive surgery, among others.
JBLMGH Medical Center Chief Dr. Monserrat S. Chichioco stressed the urgency of establishing these centers, citing a total of 27,740 trauma cases and more than 20,000 orthopedic consultations logged at the hospital in 2024 alone.
“Originally we were only tasked to establish 12 centers. The Center for Trauma and Burns is not one of them. But as we analyze our statistics on emergency care and admissions, vehicular accidents and complex trauma cases under these two services are among the top 10 causes of referrals, consultations, and admissions in our hospital. Sad to say, there are significant mortalities from these cases. Hence, we felt the need to strengthen trauma care,” she shared.
Chichioco added that more than just an infrastructure milestone, the establishment of these specialty centers is a testament to their commitment to the DOH’s 8-Point Action Agenda of ensuring access to comprehensive healthcare services for all Filipinos.
For his part, Health Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa cited the role of the new facilities in strengthening the country’s trauma care system.
“This is just the second hospital of the DOH system that actually has a robotic system and integrated operating room. But more than the technology, we are building a system, not just standalone hospitals. The DOH operates the largest hospital network in the world, and if we work as one, we can become the strongest health system globally,” he pressed.
Herbosa also noted that orthopedic injuries, burns, and trauma are among the most expensive to treat.
“By opening these centers, we are lifting the burden from families and hospitals alike. At the same time, we are enhancing regional capacity to save more lives,” he said.
To date, more than 160 specialty centers have been put up nationwide, providing a stronger push on President Ferdinand E. Marcos Jr.’s vision of accessible, high-quality, and equitable healthcare outcomes for all Filipino people. (MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
