SOUTH COTABATO – Norala District Hospital (NDH) is putting the finishing touches on a ₱1-million renovation of its triage area, a small but strategic piece of its bid to graduate from Level 1 to Level 2 status.
The ₱1-million project is funded through the Local Development Fund (LDF) and is among the ongoing construction works at the hospital.
Dr. Mila Quinton, Chief of Hospital I, said the triage area is where patients are first assessed and prioritized according to the urgency of their condition.
“This renovation may be small compared to our bigger projects, but it is where a patient’s care begins. A well-organized triage area means faster and better service for our patients,” Dr. Quinton stressed.
The improvement comes as NDH continues to face high patient demand.
The hospital recently recorded a bed occupancy rate of 163 percent, well above its authorized capacity.
To address this, the provincial government is building a ₱75-million, two-storey building within the hospital compound.
“It will provide additional wards, private rooms and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a key requirement for Level 2 classification,” Quinton explained.
A separate ₱50-million building funded by the Department of Health (DOH) has also been awarded for construction.
Once completed, the new facilities are expected to increase bed capacity, decongest the hospital, speed up admissions and treatment, and reduce referrals to other hospitals.
NDH will also add 38 plantilla personnel, up from 25, following the approval of its Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern.
The projects are supported by the provincial government under Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo Jr. as part of its efforts to expand district hospitals and sustain its free hospitalization program.
“Every improvement we make brings us closer to becoming a Level 2 hospital, and we are grateful for the support of the provincial government,” Quinton said.
A Level 2 hospital offers more advanced services than a Level 1 facility, including an ICU.
