The J.R. Borja General Hospital marks its 51st anniversary today, August 25, 2014, with the inauguration of its new East Wing (DOH) Building funded by the Department of Health (DOH).
Dr. Enrique T. Ona, Secretary of Health, will be the guest of honor during the turnover ceremony. With him will be Usec. Nemesio T. Gako and Asst. Sec. Romulo Busuego.
JR Borja Gen Hospital Executive Officers (photo by Mike Banos, NPN)
Also expected to grace the occasion will be Cagayan de Oro Congressional Reps. Rolando A. Uy (1st District), Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez (2nd District) and Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr. (ABANTE Mindanao Party List).
Sec. Ona is expected to turn over the DOH Building to JRBGH represented by City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno following a press conference headed by DOH-X Regional Director Dr. Aristides C. Tan.
According to Dr. Ramon Nery, JRBGH Executive Officer, the new three storey East Wing (DOH) building will house its new Emergency Room (ER), laboratory, X-ray, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on the ground floor; Nine wards (with six beds per ward) in the second floor, and 14 private rooms and four suites in the third floor.
“The East Wing (DOH) building is a P45-million DOH Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) infrastructure project, ” Dr. Nery said. “The Cagayan de Oro City Government provided a P14.6-million counterpart fund to complete the project.”
“We celebrate the hospital’s 51st founding anniversary with the hope that we relive and reinforce the dream, spirit, vigor and passion that catalyzed the hospital’s establishment,” said Mayor Oscar S. Moreno. “These catalysts must live on stronger.”
The East Wing (DOH) Bldg is a P45-M DOH Health Facility Enhancement Program (HFEP) Infra Project. The CDO LGU provided a P14.6-M counterpart fund to complete the project. (photo by Mike Banos, NPN)
The J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital (JRBMCH) was established through the vision of former Mayor Justiniano R. Borja on August 25, 1963 as a primary hospital to serve the health care needs of the populace of Cagayan de Oro City, particularly the poor and the indigent, who could not afford hospital care. It was constructed on a 3-hectare lot donated to the city government by the Villarin family.
“At that time, central government was still in full control, local governments had no power, everything we needed we had to ask from the central government,” he noted. “Now we want to continue that dream especially with the empowerment of local government through the Local Govt Code incidentally also authored by a former mayor of Cagayan de Oro.”
By virtue of City Ordinance in 10209-2006, the J.R. Borja Memorial City Hospital was renamed to the J.R. Borja General Hospital.
“When we took over last year there was still much to be desired but thanks to our team, the City Government, DOH and Philhealth for supporting us in upgrading JR Borja,” said Mayor Moreno in a hospital held at the facility last year in honor of the visiting Interplast Australia and New Zealand surgical team. “Of course and partners like Rotary and our Australian surgeons from Interplast. We intend to elevate JR Borja to greater heights.”
The Interplast team hard at work in the operating room of the JR Borja Gen Hospital. (photo courtesy of Rtn. Mike Mendoza, RC CdO)
“I have no doubt at all and very confident JR Borja Hospital’s upgrade will take place. Thanks to our friends from Australia, for having confidence already in JR Borja Hospital at this time when we had to literally scamper in order to prepare the hospital given the little time that we had and we are happy with the way the hospital has been able to assist them in this venture,” he said. “We hope that JR Borja Hospital would be properly equipped so activities like this would be a normal occurrence here.”
“I can see changes in the city hospital from May till now in equipment, extensions and renovations going on,” noted Dr. Michael McGlynn, team leader of the Interplast Australia and New Zealand surgical team, who has done 18 previous trips to the city and done some 1,000 operations. “ To help you with that process we have brought an anaesthetic machine from Australia which we will leave with the hospital. We enjoyed working with the local doctors and nurses.”
Last April 3, the hospital inaugurated its 3rd floor South Wing in the Pimentel Building with pediatrics, medicine, senior citizens, city govenment employees and dengue wards, decongesting its old wards in the second floor and opening the hospital to more patients. The opening of more beds and services was aimed at helping decongest the overcrowded Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC).
At present, JRBGH aims to attain a level two status next year when it opens new services like an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), hemodialysis and other services.
JRBGH private rooms have the lowest rates among the hospitals in the city. At present, the JRBGH can accommodate more than a hundred patients in a given time, and bed-sharing is allowed.
The hospital operates under the administration of the city government of Cagayan de Oro with all its operational, maintenance and capital expenditures funded solely and exclusively by the city government. However, through the “Kurambos” convergence initiative of the Moreno administration, it is now actively exploring other sources of funds such as the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
Since its creation, the JRBGH has been able to diligently pursue its role in improving primary, secondary, preventive and curative health services to the populace of Cagayan de Oro City, implemented in coordination with the city government and the various organizations, who are regularly sponsoring civic action, medical missions like the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro’s Operation Put-A-Smile and the like.