PGIN commences Bangui District Hospital upgrade with groundbreaking ceremony

The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN), in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a four-storey annex building at the Bangui District Hospital in Bangui Town on August 18.

Bangui District Hospital, currently a 25-bed secondary hospital under the management of PGIN, stands as the primary healthcare provider in the northern part of Ilocos Norte. 

A budget amounting to P 74 million from the General Appropriations Act of 2023-2024, through the DOH hospital enhancement project, has been allocated to upgrade the hospital from Level 1 to Level 2.

The provincial government, under the leadership of Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, continues to develop projects that aim to strengthen the healthcare system of the province to cater to the increasing medical demands of every Ilokano.

"Today is another milestone in achieving the Level 2 status na gusto natin for Bangui District Hospital to further cement it as a premiere hospital in the northern area of Ilocos Norte," Gov. Marcos Manotoc remarked during the ceremony.

He also acknowledged the efforts of the hospital staff to continue providing quality service, saying:

"Please continue the good work that you are doing, nakikita po talaga natin na nag-i-improve ang Bangui District Hospital, thanks to you."

Dr. Rogelio Balbag, Executive Director of Ilocos Norte's Hospital Management Council, encouraged the community and staff to unite to fulfill the vision of PGIN in improving the province's healthcare delivery system with the upgrading of the Bangui District Hospital.

Meanwhile, Dr. Shyneth Galapia Batara, Medical Officer III of the hospital, emphasized that the project is a testament to their collective efforts to serve the people, saying:  

"We are laying the foundation filled with hope and healing. The construction of this four-storey annex building is not just a physical expansion; it is the manifestation of our collective faith and commitment to serving others."

On the other hand, the Senate has approved House Bill No. 8484, which was endorsed by Senator Imee R. Marcos and authored by Ilocos Norte First District Representative Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, or the proposed upgrading of the Bangui District Hospital in Ilocos Norte, on its third reading on August 12, 2024, supporting the initiative of PGIN.

The four-storey annex building will include a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a pediatric ICU, a dedicated operating room for ob-gyne and surgery cases, a modern emergency room, a well-equipped pharmacy, an advance laboratory, and a radiology department with a CT-scan unit.