DIADI, Nueva Vizcaya, Jan. 12(PIA) — Officials of the provincial government and the Department of Health (DOH) have formally opened another hospital in barangay Poblacion here, increasing the number of state-run hospitals in the province from five to six.

The ten-bed capacity Diadi Emergency Hospital (DEH) will serve patients mostly from the northern towns of the province, said Dr. Edwin Galapon, acting provincial health officer.

DOH Secretary Enrique Ona, along with provincial and municipal officials headed by governor Luisa Cuaresma and mayor Norma Miguel formally opened the health center.

“The P11 million DEH will cater to more patients needing hospital treatment especially those coming from the northern part of the province,” Galapon said.

From the P11 million fund given by the provincial government, P5M was used for the construction of the hospital while P6 million was allocated for the purchase of medical equipments and facilities.

Galapon expressed hope that with the visit of Secretary Ona, more funds will be coming from the DOH inorder to further improve the capability of the DES.

The establishment of the DES was an offshoot of Republic Act 7956 which was passed by Congress in March 29, 1995, otherwise known as an “Act Establishing a Ten-Bed Capacity Hospital and Appropriating Funds Therefore.”

Hospitals managed by the provincial government are the Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital (NVPH) in Bambang town, Dupax District Hospital(DDH) in Dupax del Sur town, Kayapa District Hospital (KDH) in Kayapa town and the Kasibu District Hospital in Kasibu town. The Veterans Regional Hospital (VRH) in Bayombong town is managed by the national government through the DOH.