TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) --  The Department of Health (DOH) has elevated the Batanes General Hospital (BGH) into a Level 2 hospital.

Level 2 hospitals provide basic health services, alongside ICU facilities for critically ill patients and specialist doctors for gynecology and pediatric services.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire said that from a Level I hospital, BGH expanded its services with increased staffing, upgraded health equipment and infrastructure, streamlined and digitized processes, and strengthened capabilities to cater to the evolving healthcare needs of the Ivatan community.

“We all have the same goal, which is to elevate the standards of healthcare in the province for each of us (across all health levels) to be self-sufficient and to provide the necessary services needed by constituents in all walks of life. And that, we define happiness through the service we give, especially to those who need it,” the undersecretary said.

As a Level 2 health facility, BGH can now offer additional services, including a hospital blood bank with added functions, computed tomography, and a specialized diagnostic x-ray service.

On the other hand, Vergeire and her team also conducted an ocular inspection of the soon-to-operate Sabtang Community Hospital and other rural health units on Batan Island and Sabtang Island.

Vergeire and Hao also had a meeting with Batanes lone representative Ciriaco Gato, Jr., and Vice Governor Ignacio Villa to discuss collaborative efforts in planning to address concerns in the province’s health care system, such as critical infrastructure needs, manpower augmentation with the inclusion of the deployment of physicians, partnerships for specialized care services, funding support, as well as the roles of various stakeholders to elevate further the provision of a sustained quality and comprehensive health service to constituents, thus minimizing the transport and costs of consultations of patients on the mainland.

“This is not the end, but the more responsibility we have to our fellowmen, and with that, we must always seek God’s guidance so that we can deliver our services well to our patients and future patients,” Gato said.

Gato also expressed his gratitude to the DOH and various stakeholders for the continued provision of assistance and support to the province that paved the way to the attainment of BGH as a Level 2 health facility.(OTB/MDCT/PIA Cagayan)