THE La Paz Medicare and Community Hospital celebrates its 50th founding anniversary dubbed as “50 Years of Healing and Caring” on November 13 to 16 with different activities lined-up to commemorate the event.
In their official Facebook post, aside from the hospital’s normal schedule, activities lined-up are screening for those who would apply for circumcision, those with lumps and scheduled for minor surgeries on November 13.
On November 14 lined-up activities are free medical and dental check-up, blood chemistry (Fasting Blood Sugar, Cholesterol at Creatinine) and X-Ray. The hospital will accommodate 100 patients for the medical check-up, 50 patients for dental check-up (tooth extraction) and 50 patients for blood chemistry.
Scheduled activity on November 15 are mass blood donation, circumcision and minor surgeries while on November 16, there will be free eye check-up and screening and free reading eye glasses for 100 qualified patients.
The La Paz Community Hospital & Health Center was established in November of 1973 under the Philippine Medical Care Commission (PMCC). Hospital supervision was then under the Rural Health Officer under the administration of the Municipal Mayor.
On December 23, 1974, a Medical Officer was designated to become the head of the hospital. The hospital started with 10 beds, and has always been in the top 3 Medicare Hospital all over the country.
Through the initiative of the Head of Office and his staff, it was later upgraded to a 15 bed-capacity hospital. The hospital then served as a training ground for all new Medicare physicians before they can manage their own Medicare Hospital.
In 1982, the name of the hospital was changed from Community Hospital and Health Center (CHHC) to La Paz Medicare & Community Hospital (LPMCH) and on January 1, 1988, the hospital was turned over to the Department of Health (DOH) and changes occurred during the reorganization.
After five years under the DOH, the hospital was devolved to the Provincial Government of Tarlac. In spite of the financial problems in delivering health care to the public, there was an evident influx of patients from different barangays and its nearby towns in Nueva Ecija. On January 1, 1993 the La Paz Medicare & Community Hospital was devolved to the Provincial Government of Tarlac.
At present, the hospital has a DOH license to operate a 17-bed Level I hospital. It is a government facility under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Government of Tarlac. It serves both in-patients and out-patients, catering mostly to indigent patients. It is the desire of the governor to upgrade the existing 17-bed capacity facility to a 25-bed capacity Level I hospital and later to 100-bed capacity.
Governor Susan Yap and La Paz Chief of Hospital Dr. Alvin Villanueva has invited everyone to be part of the hospital’s anniversary celebration.—Arvin F. M. Cabalu
