THE Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) yesterday inaugurated a 120-bed capacity hospital inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City as part of a two-phase P327 million project to put up a hospital facility that would cater to inmates and BuCor personnel.
The hospital inauguration was among the BuCor activities as it celebrates the National Corrections Consciousness Week, which started Tuesday.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said the opening of the hospital is a significant development in their effort to provide improved health care services to inmates and BuCor personnel.
“This is a tangible proof that BuCor aims to ensure that quality healthcare remains a fundamental right for all regardless of their circumstance and ensures that patients receive comprehensive care without the need for frequent referrals to external medical centers,” he said.
The 120-bed capacity hospital
Catapang said the construction of the P187.2 million hospital started in August 2019 and was completed in April 2023. Another hospital worth P140 million is currently under construction.
BuCor acting Deputy Director for Reformation Dra. Ma. Cecilia Villanueva said the new facility marks a crucial step towards improving healthcare access to the inmates and BuCor personnel for a diverse range of medical needs – from medical and surgical cases to dermatological conditions, end-stage renal diseases, tuberculosis, emergency hypertension, and cardio-related cases.
Villanueva also said the facility is well-equipped to cater to a wide spectrum of health issues.
“While the new hospital facility can address a broad array of medical conditions, complex cases requiring specialized treatments or procedures (will still be) seamlessly referred to external healthcare institutions,” she added.
Catapang earlier announced the BuCor needs medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, teachers, guidance counselors, and even priests to address the agency’s shortage in technical personnel.
The BuCor chief said they only have one doctor per 5,371 inmates, compared to the ideal ratio of one doctor per 700 inmates.
He said the situation is expected to get worse with the upcoming retirement of one out of 10 doctors by the end of 2024, and two more expected to retire in 2025.
